The urban-type settlement of Palekh, the center of the Palekh district of the Ivanovo region, could be an ordinary village, of which there are a huge number in Russia. However, Palekh is given a special character by a folk craft known not only throughout the country, but also far beyond its borders - Palekh painting (Palekh miniature).
When fishing is born unwillingly
Palekh painting refers, first of all, to miniature lacquer painting on papier-mâché, applied with tempera paint (that is, paint made from naturally occurring dyes). And looking at boxes, brooches, panels, ashtrays and other more decorative everyday objects painted in this manner, it is impossible to resist the temptation to consider this craft to be very ancient, having its origins in the hoary mists of time. This is partly true, but only partly. If we approach the history of Palekh painting formally, it turns out that this craft is not yet a hundred years old - after all, for the first time, products with Palekh miniatures were presented to the public only in 1923. However, if you dig deeper, it turns out that the Palekh miniature is a direct continuation of the traditions of the original Palekh school of icon painting, and here we need to talk about several centuries.
As is known, with all the rigor of iconography in Russian Orthodox tradition, in the Middle Ages and in modern times, various schools of icon painting were formed. Following the canons in the main, each school introduced some of its own characteristics, expressed either in the color scheme, or in individual details of the image of people, details of clothing or landscapes on icons, and the like. Sources report that icons were painted in the village of Palekh at the beginning of the 17th century. However, the special Palekh style of icon painting, distinguished by the filigree delicacy of writing and the abundant use of gold paint to depict the robes of saints, finally took shape in the second half of XVIII century. By the beginning of the last century, the Palekh icon-painting school was famous throughout Russia; there was an extensive workshop with a clear division of labor according to icon-painting professions. However revolutionary events 1917 and the subsequent large-scale persecution of the church and all spheres of religious life made Palekh icon painting unclaimed and life-threatening. The icon painters of Palekh had to look for a new area to use their talents.
When history and culture come alive
And a solution was found, as simple as it was ingenious. Icon painters with the appropriate abilities and experience, who also had a production base, retrained as painters. Since it was impossible to depict pictures on religious themes, I had to paint pictures on secular themes. This is how the Palekh miniature arose in the early twenties. It turned out that the drawings in the same, almost iconographic manner, on Russian themes folk tales, historical events, as well as portrait images printed on papier-mâché, are in great demand by a wide variety of social status and material capabilities of segments of the population. After demonstrating new artistic products at a number of exhibitions in 1923, at the end of the next year, the twenty-fourth, several Palekh artists united in the Artel ancient painting”, which successfully presented its works already at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1925. In 1932, Palekh painting was supported by the state, and the Artel of Ancient Painting was transformed into the Palekh Association of Artists.
Palekh painting originated in the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region, from where it got its name. This type is decorative applied creativity is truly unique, because, despite the fact that it has existed for many centuries, the technologies and techniques for creating compositions do not change - the master himself prepares the object that he will paint from beginning to end. Therefore, it is impossible to find two identical items painted in the Palekh style. The peculiarities of Palekh painting are the elegance of the figures, the clarity, subtlety and delineation of the drawings, a dark background, and a large amount of shading done in gold.
As a rule, souvenirs and objects that serve as interior decoration are painted with Palekh miniatures - boxes, caskets, panels, ashtrays, brooches and similar items.
Artists do not create individual ornaments or figures, but draw entire pictures depicting certain subjects. All the figures in the Palekh artist’s drawing are elongated - people, horses, and animals. The characters in the paintings are always on the move, as evidenced by clearly defined folds of clothing and waves of hair. The masters took and take the theme for miniatures from everyday life, fairy tales, songs, epics and fables, and thanks to the variety of colors and small parts, the effect of lightness and celebration is created.
Peculiarities Palekh painting are connected with the fact that it was born from icon painting and is based on its traditions and techniques; even as a paint, masters still use egg tempera, which they use to paint icons.
For Palekh painting, a black or dark background is used, which symbolizes darkness, from which, in the process of painstaking and complex work, life and color are born, moreover, it has an internal volume, which gives the paintings a special depth.
The technique of applying, fixing and processing the design has been passed down from ancient times from generation to generation, thanks to which unique things made using the Palekh technique are popular all over the world and are part of the culture not only of our country, but of the whole world.
We study the technology of making Palekh painting in miniature
Cardboard is used as a blank for Palekh miniatures. The master cuts it into shapes and, using flour paste, glues it together in several layers (depending on the thickness of the product). Then the workpiece is pressed and thoroughly dried for several days.
After drying, the semi-finished product is impregnated with linseed oil - for this, it is immersed in a vat of hot oil for a day, after which it is dried in an oven for 2 days at a temperature of 100°. After this, the product is treated with an emery brush, sanded and the necessary fittings are attached.
At this stage, the product is primed with a special composition of a mixture of oil, soot and red clay and varnished - 2 - 3 layers of black varnish on the outside and oil varnish with cinnabar with inside. Then another seven (!) layers of light varnish are applied, making sure to dry each layer in the oven. Only after all these preparatory manipulations does the product become suitable for painting - the master lightly walks over the surface of the product with pumice, draws the contours of the design and then paints it with a thin squirrel hair brush. Individual drawings in a composition are so small that craftsmen have to use a magnifying glass.
It is noteworthy that the master makes all the tools and materials himself - paints, brushes, varnishes with primers, and other compounds necessary for high-quality work.
At this stage, the painted product is dried and the pictures are fixed with a special varnish. After this, the master begins painting with gold and silver leaf, polishing it all with agate or wolf’s tooth (for additional shine). Then all products are again coated with several layers of varnish, dried and polished to a mirror shine. Due to the large number of varnish layers that cover the product during the work process, Palekh painting is also called lacquer miniature.
Due to the brightness of the colors and the vividness of the images, drawings in the style of Palekh painting are used to illustrate children's books with fairy tales. For children, these images are very interesting, since the drawing represents not just a static picture, but a whole story or plot of the work. But the photo below shows illustrations for some children's fairy tales, made in the Palekh style.
Video on the topic of the article
In order to get better acquainted with Palekh painting, we suggest watching several video stories in which various options lacquer miniatures and describes in detail the stages of creating these unique and amazing images.
Palekh painting - view folk arts and crafts, which arose from icon painting traditions and is Russian miniature painting with tempera paints on papier-mâché and wooden objects.
Palekh painting originated in the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region, already in Soviet times, but its roots go back centuries. The first mention of the art of Palekh painters dates back to XVII century. The word Palekh itself refers to the Finno-Ugric group, whose speakers completely disappeared among the Slavic people, leaving only geographical names- Palekh, Sezun, Purekh, etc. It is believed that the village of Palekh was formed by people fleeing the Tatar-Mongols on the site of a scorched area of forest, popularly called burnt. This is how the name of the settlement was born, from which the names “Palekh icon painting”, “Palekh painting” and “Palekh miniature” came from.
General features of Palekh painting
Like any folk applied art belonging to a specific area, Palekh painting has a number of its own characteristics and features based on the traditions of the masters of this school. Since the founders of the art of Palekh miniatures were former icon painters, this fact could not but affect the style of writing artistic compositions created by Palekh painters. Palekh masters of icon painting were distinguished by an impeccable sense of color and the finest depiction of every detail, which they brought to the drawings on boxes, cigarette cases and other handicraft items. We can say that all Palekh lacquer miniatures are based on icon painting, its traditions and techniques.
Palekh painting differs from the painting style of other Russians public schools the fact that artists do not depict ornaments or individual figures, but draw integral compositions - real miniature paintings depicting a particular plot. The art of Palekh is poetry in drawing, moments of Russian songs and fairy tales, captured by the artist’s hand on the surface of objects. The masters of miniature painting took their subjects from everyday life, Russian folk tales, songs and epics, as well as classical works literature, for example from Pushkin’s fairy tales and Krylov’s fables. Thanks to their sophistication, richness of colors and design details, Palekh miniatures create a feeling of lightness and celebration.
The distinctive features of the Palekh school are:
- miniature letter;
- the overall soft tone of the composition;
- ornamental sophistication of the design;
- saturation of the composition with elements;
- picturesqueness of every detail;
- patterned writing;
- variety of color transitions;
- trees with naturalistic foliage;
- Stroganov's elongation and fragility of figures;
- the subtlety of drawing naked parts of the human body;
- saturation with movement;
- gold painting;
- spaces;
- dark backgrounds.
The black background, made with varnish and being the main “space” for the future composition, is not accidental in Palekh miniatures. The fact is that the art of lacquer miniatures originated in ancient countries Far East, where the material on which the image was painted was lacquer wood - a natural raw material. There was no such thing in Russia, so Russian craftsmen began to use papier-mâché coated with black varnish for painting. This coating has become business card Palekh painting. In addition, the black background for the Palekh miniature symbolizes the darkness from which, in the process of painting, life and color are born. In addition, the black background has its own internal volume, which gives the finished drawings depth in the composition.
One more distinctive feature Palekh painting is that from the beginning of the birth of the art of miniature painting in Palekh until now, artists have been painting with egg tempera, which was used to paint icons.
The golden color is not only part color range drawing and distinctive feature works of Palekh painters. Thin lines of gold and silver serve to reveal light and shadows, revealing the shape of figures and individual elements of the composition. In addition, gold symbolizes light, which in the Christian worldview means something Divine and eternal.
The work of a miniature artist requires filigree precision, precision in every line, and accuracy. Palekh masters often have to use a magnifying glass when painting their miniature masterpieces. The unique style and grace of Palekh lacquer miniatures is based on the centuries-old traditions of ancient Russian painting and rich experience folk art.
You can see the features of the technology in the pictures.
History of origin and development in Russia
The birth of the art of miniature painting in Palekh is not accidental. It arose from the centuries-old traditions of Russian painting and folk art, which is its basis. The experience of many generations of Palekh painters and icon painters is very diverse and rich.
The icon painters of Palekh developed their own unique style under the influence of their neighbors - the Novgorod, Stronovo and Yaroslavl schools, as well as the Volga region painting XVII century. Despite the fact that the iconographic style adhered to strict canons, each school tried to bring its own features and characteristics into the writing of icons, expressed in the selection of colors, details of the image of people, objects, clothing or landscape elements. Depending on the time and conditions of writing icons, the manner of depiction and the set of elements changed. On some Palekh icons you can find details from the everyday life of people of that time: dishes, interior items, weapons or clothing. There are images of chambers, carts, landscapes and architectural elements.
The first mention of Palekh is found in chronicles dating back to the beginning of the 17th century. In historical documents of that time there are descriptions of Palekh as a place with a well-developed icon-painting craft - by that time there were about twenty icon-painting workshops in the village. However, your own style, distinguished by its special grace, filigree accuracy of image, subtlety and smoothness of lines and a large number of golden shades of paint used to paint the robes of saints, only developed closer to mid-18th century century.
In addition to painting icons, the Palesians also engaged in monumental painting, taking part in the painting of temples and churches, creating real masterpieces on the walls, without which we cannot imagine the decoration of even the most modest church interiors. For example, from 1762 to 1774, the Holy Cross Church was erected in the very center of Palekh, the painting of which was entirely done by local artists.
Already by the middle of the 17th century, popular rumor spread news of the magnificent works of Palekh painters and reached major cities Russia, including Moscow. Palekh craftsmen began to be invited to the capital city to paint and restore temples, cathedrals and churches. The art and talent of the icon painters of the village located on the Paleshka River can still be appreciated today by visiting such famous historical monuments Russia, like the Faceted Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin, the Novodevichy Convent or the Sergiev Posad Lavra.
Palekh icons were a very expensive pleasure, since they were painted for a long time and carefully, according to the samples of the surviving ancient works of past masters, and were the best examples of the Russian icon-painting tradition. Despite high price, there was no shortage of demand for icons painted in Palekh, and from the 18th century Palekh became the center of icon painting, preserving the best traditions of the Russian school of painting of the 15th-17th centuries. The Palekh school became famous throughout the country, the icon painting industry flourished, and the works of the masters were bought up very willingly.
However, by the end of the 19th century, the creation of icons in Russia assumed an almost industrial scale, which led to a deterioration in the quality of the works. In the pursuit of the speed of creating iconographic compositions, the increase in the number of works, everything that was so valued in Russian painting was lost - drawing details, creating airiness, transparency of the image, filling the volume with various elements, conveying the subtlest emotions on the faces of saints. Icons became cheaper, and their quality got worse and worse. A particularly severe blow to the traditions of handwritten painting was the invention and spread of mass printing, as a result of which very cheap and accessible printed icons appeared. However, the last and most crushing blow to Russian, including Palekh, icon painting was dealt by socialist revolution 1917. After those events, Palekh craftsmen were left practically without work, since under the new government the creation of icons became not only unprofitable, but also simply dangerous. Thus, a sharp turn was marked for Palekh painting, when it was necessary to use all the experience accumulated over centuries in another sphere of creativity. Well, the icon painting craft ceased to exist.
The art of Palekh miniatures is relatively young. It was born already during the times Soviet era. After the end of the civil war, Palekh craftsmen came up with the new kind application of your art. Literally within five or six years, a new art of the great Palekh was born - lacquer miniatures on all kinds of objects used in everyday life: boxes, cigarette cases, brooches, notebooks, powder compacts and other necessary little things made of papier-mâché. The new art also had new themes - scenes from village life, plots from Russian folk tales, plots taken from the works of Russian writers and poets.
The first attempt to switch to a new art form happened in 1918, when former masters icon painters created their “First Palekh Art Decorative Artel”, engaged in restoration. But due to the civil war it soon disintegrated.
In mid-1920, the artists of Palekh united into a new artel, which was engaged in painting wooden utensils and other household items. And since 1923 the best masters artistic painting found the best use for the traditions of the icon painting genre - writing and the Palekh style of painting began to be used to create painted papier-mâché products, borrowing the idea from the masters of Fedoskino near Moscow, where a similar folk craft had existed for more than a century. The desire of Palekh icon painters to glorify beauty native nature, passing on to new generations their rich experience and secrets of painting, kept for centuries, led to the creation of a special artistic language. A group of former Palekh icon painters managed to create a symbiosis classical traditions Russian painting and folklore, using techniques from these genres to create unique wood and papier-mâché items.
In their miniatures, masters of the early Soviet era used not only themes from the life of the people and motifs of nature native land, but also fairy tales, episodes from fables and songs. Among the subjects of Palekh painting, along with round dances, troikas of horses, musicians and hunting scenes, there are heroes of Krylov’s fables, Pushkin’s fairy tales and magnificent landscapes of picturesque places of their native land.
Masters of the twenties and thirties of the last century did not abandon the use of egg tempera, the usual techniques of artistic writing and elements painted in gold. For their lacquer miniatures, the Palesians took as a basis their vast experience in creating icon paintings: organization and fullness of space, integrity of composition, medieval stylization, conventionality of forms and figures, use of the ornamental basis of the design. All these techniques helped solve the transfer problem flat image onto the surface of volumetric objects.
The works of the masters of Palekh painting made an indelible impression on connoisseurs of folk art abroad. Patrons of the arts from foreign countries, shocked by the art of Russian painters, offered the Palekh masters the most profitable terms For creative activity. Maxim Gorky, who was one of the admirers of Palekh lacquer miniatures, invited Palekh artists to the Moscow region. However, Russian masters did not want to break away from their roots, preferring to draw their creative inspiration from the beauty of their native land. Slender silhouettes of tented temples, iridescent reflections on the quiet water surface of the Paleshki River, black and white trunks of birches and foliage playing with the sun's rays, crowns of pine trees shimmering with dark shades of green, towering hills covered with meadow flowers - all this splendor of Russian landscapes found its place among variety of themes in Palekh painting.
Over time, boxes, brooches and other objects used for painting began to be decorated with images related to the development of technical progress Soviet times. On the black varnish coating there appeared drawings of the first tractor, mowers, combines, fields sown with wheat and the life of collective farm villages, as well as images of new buildings, holidays dedicated to certain memorable anniversaries, conveying the pulse of that time. The compositions of some Palekh masters of the Soviet era contain pictures of industrialization, captured in the style of symbolism. Often, artists convey achievements in order to convey images. Soviet people into a fairy tale form. The theme of electrification is resolved through the image of the Firebird, and the shortcomings of people take the form of bad folklore characters in the form of Leshy and Baba Yaga, who are given a fair trial by young pioneers. But even in these works one can see the influence fresco painting and the best traditions of the Palekh style.
There is also a children's theme in Palekh miniatures of the Soviet era. In the pictures created by painters of Palekh art workshops, scenes appear that tell about young naturalists, fishermen, and pioneers.
Each of the creators of Palekh miniatures is unique and diverse. Each of them is a true master of composition. In Soviet times, the strict art of Palekh was transformed: dynamics and freedom were added to the miniatures. Each period introduced its own special nuance into Palekh painting, reflecting the events of its time. So in the post-war era current topics Palekh painting included subjects glorifying national feats and images of memorable battles of past eras. Many of the artists turn to military themes, transforming the harsh reality of the times of great battles into the sublime romance of sacrifice and heroism for the sake of home country and chanting the Russian people defending their freedom in the battle against foreign invaders.
At the same time, many art critics call the period of the fifties not the most successful. During that period, many of the Palekh artists began to strive for realism in the miniatures they created, sacrificing the sophistication, sublimity and romantic component inherent in the old tradition. The influence of Soviet ideology was manifested in the creation of compositions with maximum external verisimilitude, due to which pathos themes glorifying the labor feat of the people appeared in Palekh miniatures. As a result, for a time, traditional allegory and poetic beauty of the visual language disappeared from Palekh painting. But there was excessive decoration, pathos and monumentality. But even in those difficult times, adherents of the oldest school of Palekh remained, continuing and passing on to the next generations the traditions and secrets of the masters of the past, creating paintings that did not go beyond the language of true art.
A separate thread in Palekh miniature painting is plots from songs, both folk and those created by Soviet authors. Having gone through all the hardships of post-war life, Palekh masters again turn to peaceful subjects, drawing them from the song and poetic genre. Palekh masters who took song themes as the basis for their compositions Soviet classics, managed to convey all the emotional fullness of life at that time.
The sixties of the last century became a period of overcoming hackneyed canonical forms and excessive naturalism. Palekh painters were looking for new images and themes, turning to the heritage of the classics. Scenes from classical operas and literature appear in the works of the masters. Themes from the works of Goethe, Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin and other classics were embodied in Palekh lacquer miniatures. At the same time, Palekh artists again turn to native Russian subjects: the patriarchal way of life of villages, shepherd motifs and simple landscapes of their native land. Simple images of a basket with mushrooms, bouquets of wild flowers, bunches of juicy berries, and springs of clear cool water also appear in the drawings.
The image of a Russian woman also finds its place among the works of Palekh painters. The artists managed to fully reveal the essence of the keeper of the hearth - simple in its naturalness, possessing that very elusive, seemingly, beauty that the Russian land itself carries within itself.
A new branch also appears in the work of Palekh painters - painting on porcelain. Although attempts to create works on this material have been carried out since 1920, then this did not bring success. In order to still master the necessary writing technique, Palekh artists often visited factories producing ceramics and porcelain. And over time, the Palesians learned to use all the possibilities of a white background, and also mastered the technique of painting with paints on ceramics, which changed their original color when the products were fired.
The seventies and eighties brought a new surge in the creativity of Palekh masters. The works of artists of that time are distinguished by the expressiveness of the images created in the drawing, the emotionality of the composition, and the lively energy of the written characters. In addition to painting traditional miniatures, Palekh painters take part in creating scenery concert programs, in creating a monumental painting on fairy tale themes, in the interior design of cinemas and palaces of culture. Some artists sought to embody innovative ideas, moving away from traditional canons, but without rejecting the accumulated experience in the technique of writing in the special Palekh style.
The Soviet period not only gave rise to Palekh lacquer miniatures, but also contributed to the development of this craft. The Museum of Ancient Painting was organized in Palekh, which was renamed State Museum Palekh art. The rich experience of Palekh craftsmen was used when creating sketches of the scenery for theatrical productions, illustrations for book editions of works by Pushkin, Krylov, Gorky and other Russian and Soviet writers. Palekh artists took part in the restoration of church paintings in many cities of Russia, including Moscow. The development of Palekh miniatures introduced new trends into Russian folk painting. In Palekh lacquer miniatures, motifs of antiquity, the Renaissance, and also trends began to be used modern trends art. Palekh masters mastered new color transitions, focusing on more subtle relationships between tones. With the development of Palekh art, traditional modeling of the volume of depicted figures with gold spaces became a solution for other problems of miniature painting - artists began to use gold to fill the space of the picture with light and warmth. Some masters moved away from the theme of their native heritage and turned to historical motifs from other countries. A special touch in the work of Palekh artists was the theme eastern countries, where the masters of Palekh were able to convey all the brightness of the colors of the East and its unique flavor. Some works of Palekh masters were noted State Prize Russian Federation.
Modernity
Currently, Palekh painting is as relevant as in past times. Every year Palekh art school produces new masters who have absorbed the traditions and style of the original Palekh painting. They create unique hand painted works of art. Each item carries the unique style of the master, personality traits, inherent specifically in his creativity and artistic vision.
On shoulders modern masters there was a huge burden of responsibility, because they are continuers of the traditions of their eminent ancestors, with whose hands real masterpieces were created that went down in the history not only of Russian art. The best examples of Palekh painting have long been among the works of art which are world heritage.
Modernity has brought many changes to culture and daily life paleshan. Changed lifestyle an ancient village, which has now become a regional urban-type settlement. The influence of large cities is increasingly coming and modern themes in art. Meanwhile, folk traditions, naturalness, simplicity and folklore images remain in the past. However, these changes are not capable of seriously affecting the original Russian beginning. The centuries-old traditions of Palekh painting live on in the works of Palekh masters to this day. Even in our time, Palekh does not betray its picturesque nature. The soul of the people, Russian flavor and centuries-old traditions of craftsmanship passed on from generation to generation live in the work of its artists. As before, Palekh artists strive to see the beauty in the everyday, turn reality into a fairy tale, and capture the beauty of their native nature in their works.
Modern painters of Palekh use in creating their compositions all the accumulated experience of the old masters: natural colors, traditions of fresco painting, a special style inherent only to artists from this corner of Russia. Their work is united by sincere devotion to the traditions of their school and the deep roots of Palekh art. Subjects to create unique miniatures modern masters are eternal themes, which are sung by the classics of the past and the authors of our time. The people of Palestine draw their inspiration from the rich heritage of Russian culture and the splendor of their native nature.
Conclusion
Keeping unique traditions folk crafts and the heritage of the great masters of the Palekh school, the company “Fratelli Bassini” produces lacquer products in the style of Palekh miniatures in a wide range: from real works of art of museum quality to small souvenir items that are so nice to buy as a gift. Caskets, decorative panels, caskets, jewelry, boxes, trunks, cases made by the hands of our craftsmen are in museum and private collections in Russia and abroad.
In 2005, an icon painting workshop was founded at our enterprise, the task of which was to revive traditional Russian icon painting. Our masters have behind them a wealth of practical experience passed on by past generations of Russian painters. Special art education, the highest professionalism of the artists and strict adherence to the canons of stylistics and techniques of the Palekh icon painting style, allow us to complete orders of any complexity from miniature jewelry folding and icons for the home to the production of iconostasis and monumental cathedral painting.
Own production base and potential of highly qualified specialists and professional artists make it possible to make unique gifts that exist in a single copy or are a collection of several items.
The works of our painters were exhibited and had success at numerous foreign exhibitions: in Hamburg at the “Mark der Volker”, in Potsdam at the European Congress of Storytellers, in London (at the Pushkin House), at the UNESCO Paris office.
New Year's toys are no longer just ordinary Christmas tree decorations, evoking a feeling of celebration and a feeling of sincere admiration, not only objects of admiration. Currently, these are also items of pride for collectors who collect their own unique pieces of Christmas tree decorations, indicating the taste, interests and preferences of the owner. And also about its stability and well-being.
Christmas balls, hand-painted by masters of lacquer miniatures from Palekh and Kholuy, are a fairly new phenomenon, existing on the art market for only a few recent years. While preserving the ancient folk tradition, our miniaturists have mastered the elements and trends of modern life in painting toys. visual arts. There is now an opportunity to create new Year decoration not only with traditional ornaments, but also with modern subjects, executed in a different pictorial manner, not constrained by the stylistic canons of the craft.
Hand painted christmas balls, figurines, boxes and other products with traditional fairy-tale, literary, architectural and folklore subjects, complemented with congratulatory inscriptions and logos - this is a magnificent and unique gift.
The technology for producing Christmas tree decorations basically follows the traditional one, with the only difference being that the varnish used for painting is applied to glass, and not to a papier-mâché or wood base. Due to the “bent” base and the fragility of the material, the process of varnishing, painting and polishing requires special skills from craftsmen and artists, which our professionals master perfectly.
Palekh- a small village in the Ivanovo region, the first mention of which dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. And today it is the world’s most famous center of iconography and lacquer painting, which has no analogues in any corner of our planet. The works of Palekhov masters do not leave anyone indifferent,
who once saw them.
At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, Palekh saw the appearance of masters who painted holy images, painted temples and cathedrals, and restored ancient frescoes. The beginning of the 19th century saw the heyday of Palekh icon painting, which was in great demand not only in Russia but also abroad. The unique, elegant art of Palekh lacquer miniatures combines the principles of ancient Russian painting and folk art.
If in some cities the creation of icons was almost industrial, then in Palekh long years The original writing of holy images was preserved, the writing of which was carried out by members of peasant families in their free time from agricultural work.
It was noteworthy that in the peasant families of icon painters there was a division of labor: the drawing was applied to the base by the “banner”, the clothes and chambers were painted by the “dolicnik”, and the faces by the “lichnik”. Palekh icons were created for a long time and meticulously; they were consistent with the canons of ancient models, so their value was high.
But by the end of the 19th century in Rus', the number of icon painters increased greatly, which was the reason for the decrease in cost and deterioration in the quality of icon painting, and the demand for Palekh icons sharply decreased due to high prices.
And the revolution that took place in Russia in 1917 changed not only the entire structure of Russia but also the attitude towards the church. The production of icons became unclaimed and icon painters were left without work.
But lacquer miniature painting in Palekh is a relatively young trend that emerged only about two centuries ago. The prerequisite for its emergence was that at the end of the 18th century, the Moscow merchant Korobov founded the production of lacquered visors for army caps. And when snuff came into fashion, he also began producing lacquer snuff boxes.
Over time, these boxes acquired a luxurious and rich appearance; they began to be used to decorate rooms. Using colorful colors and Russian folk themes, Palekh craftsmen used various themes from fairy tales, epics and legends in their work.
At the end of the civil war, Palekh craftsmen resumed their craft, now making boxes, brooches, powder compacts and other items from papier-mâché. They depicted scenes from Russian folk tales, scenes of village life, and also used the work of Russian writers and poets.
Second World War also contributed her own subjects to Palekh painting - colorful military scenes. During times Soviet power Palekh was characterized by pathos, ideology, and monumentalism. And only years later the artists managed to return romance and sublimity, poetry and allegory.
To this day, lacquer miniatures are distinguished by their bright colors on a black background, elongated figures, and fine lines. Decorative landscapes and architecture, elegant gold ornaments framing the composition - all this makes Palekh painting unique.
Each of the master miniaturists has his own professional style. This painstaking work requires from them not only inspiration, but also great precision and accuracy, since all painting is done by hand, and very often this requires a magnifying glass. Most of the miniatures are unique or produced in very small quantities.
