Treasures of Russian art. Palekh

Palekh is a cozy urban village located in the Ivanovo region. There is still debate about the exact date of the establishment of the historical place. The chronicles indicate that the village appeared before the 15th century. In the 15th century it became part of the Vladimir-Suzdal lands. In 1852, Ivan the Terrible wrote a will. According to him, Palekh began to belong to his son John.

In 1616, the settlement came into the use of V.M. Ostrogubova. As a token of gratitude for participation in the Polish-Lithuanian uprising, Palekh soon passed to Ivan Buturlin. Later, a wooden church was built on the land in the name of the Exaltation of the Cross.

In the 19th century, icon painting actively developed. Crafts such as wood carving, weaving, embroidery, and working with sheepskin became widespread. Since ancient times, Palekh masters have been famous for their unique style. Their works were sophisticated, interesting, and unlike others.

The most important objects were often ordered from Palekh artists. They painted the walls of the Faceted Chamber, frescoes in the Kremlin in Moscow, decorated the Novodevichy Convent and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra and many others. Famous modern icon painters - Eva Yarusheva, Yuri Petrov, Anna Gordeeva.

The history of Palekh is based on interesting facts. According to legend, the Tatars once completely destroyed cities such as Vladimir and Suzdal. From these cities, Suzdal and Vladimir monastic icon painters fled to the forests to escape. In place of the forest, they built houses and began painting icons. This is how the name Palekh was formed.

The famous Palekh miniature appeared here. This type of painting includes boxes, cigarette cases, caskets and other papier-mâché items coated with varnish. Mostly scenes of everyday, folklore, historical nature are depicted. Artists create a variety of beautiful designs on black backgrounds. The images are thin and have graceful lines. Gold predominates, with elegant oblong patterns.

Palekh icons deserve special attention. They are said to have attracted Goethe's interest. In addition, N. Nekrasov, N. Leskov, and A. Gorky admired the magnificent creations of local icon painters. In 1924, the “Artel of Ancient Painting” was created. She received a high award at an exhibition in Paris.

Palekh City Day is celebrated on June 24. Large-scale celebrations, festivals, and exhibitions are organized. The holiday always has a rich program. Tourists try to time their arrival precisely for this date. The grand opening of the holiday is traditionally held at the site of the House of Culture.

How to get there?

The Family Suitcase company regularly conducts trips to the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia.

Considering creative products created by talented craftsmen, many ask the question of where Palekh is located. Most guests prefer to travel by private car. It's comfortable. The distance Moscow-Palekh is 400 kilometers. Traffic will be carried out along the M7 highway. You need to go through Vladimir and Suzdal. The total duration of the journey is 6-6.5 hours.

There is a daily bus to Palekh. Boarding is carried out from the Shchelkovsky railway station in Moscow. The stop is made at Yuzha station. There are also buses going from Moscow to Ivanovo. At the final station you will need to change to the Ivanovo-Palekh bus.

There is a railway connection. Shuya station is located 75 kilometers from the settlement. This solution is chosen by those traveling from St. Petersburg or Nizhny Novgorod. If you are heading from the capital, then a train with a direction such as Moscow-Kineshma will do, then you will need to transfer to a bus or use a taxi. Buses run frequently and the journey takes 1.5 hours.

If you want to avoid additional hassle, then book an excursion to Palekh from Moscow and other cities. The trip will be carried out on a comfortable bus accompanied by a guide.

Hotels, restaurants, cafes

Hotels in the city offer good service. The number of rooms is not rich, but you can find quite comfortable conditions for relaxation. Such hotels as “Kovcheg”, “Palekh”, “Grand Shuya” are in high demand. As for food outlets, you can take note of the establishments “Gourmet” and “Skazka”.

Attractions

The provincial place is famous for its beautiful landscapes, amazing history, a large number of creative workshops, architectural monuments, and holy places. Coming here, everyone will certainly discover something new for themselves. Cozy, well-groomed streets with shady trees, golden domes, fields, lakes create a calm, relaxing atmosphere for relaxation. This is the birthplace of the Firebird. A bird is depicted on the coat of arms and flag of the village.

Museums

The State Museum of Palekh Art is a unique place from which you can start your journey around the village. The gallery opened in 1935. In the main hall you can admire the exhibits that made the place widely known in Russia and beyond. Russian icon painting is represented by both ancient works of the 18th century and modern works. There is an exhibition dedicated to Palekh lacquer miniatures created in different periods of time. The guide will tell you about the fate of the authors and the intricacies of their creative process. Boxes with scenes from Russian fairy tales and a collection of paintings from the past century deserve special attention. The museum complex includes the workshops of N.V. Dydykina, P.D. Korina, I.I. Golikova, N.M. Zinovieva.

The house - Dydykin's workshop - is an ancient gallery dedicated to the work of the talented sculptor. Here you will see hundreds of unique creations by the author. Among them are many prototypes of famous personalities. It feels like you are momentarily immersed in the past. The author himself bequeathed all his works to the museum. Not far from the workshop there is a cozy apple orchard. Fir and spruce trees grow, which were planted by the sculptor himself.

House-museum of I.I. Golikova is a gallery opened in 1968. The founder of lacquer miniatures worked here. However, his personal belongings did not survive. Things that belonged to Golikov are kept in only one room. This is a desk, a bookcase, a bed, and chairs. In another room you can view works by artists of the post-revolutionary period. On the walls hang photographs and illustrations of the old city of Palekh.

House-museum of P.D. Korina is the oldest building in the complex. It was built back in the 1860s. The exhibition opened in 1974. There are ancient icon paintings on the walls of the rooms. The author's workshop has been preserved - an easel, sketches. The third room contains sketches used for the improvement of the metro. The kitchen is presented unchanged. The setting is early 19th century.

House – museum of N.M. Zinoviev consists of only one room. It served as a creative workshop and bedroom. There is a Russian stove and kitchen. The exterior decor of the building is original. Carved window casings, high-height ring. There is a well in front of the house. The Soviet artist lived and was born here. The exhibition presents some of his creations, photographs, books, and some things.

The Museum of Icons is a gallery that appeared in the village recently (2014). It consists of an exhibition and art hall. The exhibition presents a large number of ancient icons that came here from various parts of the country. Mostly they were brought by local residents. Some exhibits were moved here from churches and chapels when they were closed during Soviet times. Contemporaries gained a lot of experience from the ancient art of icon painting. The works of G.M. are presented. Melnikova. They tried to preserve the local style of craft.

Temples

The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross is an architectural monument of the 18th century. The object was built in 1762 - 1774. Construction was financed by local residents. Even nearby villages helped. The cathedral is made in the style of ancient Russian architecture of the 17th century. The church consists of five chapters and is distinguished by rich decoration. The bell tower is equipped with a porch, which is similar in outline to a tent. The gilded iconostasis is large. Consists of six tiers. Its painting was carried out by local artists. The Rococo style was used. During the Soviet period there was a museum of Palekh art. Therefore, the shrine managed to survive the destruction. In 2012, the monastery acquired the status of a cathedral.

Elias Church was built in 1790. The cathedral was located near the cemetery for a long time. This building was used for a long time as a small church for local residents. In its structure, the object resembles the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross. This is a modest, brick building, equipped with a low hipped bell tower. The window casings are made with an arched motif. This is an architectural monument. A memorial plaque erected back in the 60s reminds of this.

The Church of the Sign is located at the entrance to the village. Its construction took place in 1804. Funds for construction were raised by the local population. Landowner P.N. also took an active part. Buturlin. The lighting was completed in 1810. The shrine includes three thrones. They are illuminated in honor of the Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos, in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Holy Martyr Paraskeva Friday. The building is characterized by picturesque surroundings. It looks great in the overall panorama of the city, acting as the main accent.

What to see in Palekh in one day?

A walk through the amazing Palekh will allow you to fully enjoy the architectural heritage of a unique place. In the center of the village you will be greeted by a small and cozy pond. If you follow the alley further, a monument to Lenin will open in front of you. There are almost no people on the street. Silence and harmony reign all around, you can even hear birds singing. Perhaps this is one of the best places to take a break from the bustle of the city.

There is a bridge across the Paleshanka River. I would like to stop here for a moment to fully enjoy the surrounding beauty. Here, too, there is such a wedding tradition as hanging a castle on a bridge. It is noteworthy that houses made of stone and wood are mixed with each other. This makes the overall picture even more mysterious.

It is definitely recommended to visit the souvenir shop to purchase products from local craftsmen. In other places it is unlikely that you can already find it. Beware of fakes. Palekh creativity is highly valued, so it is often copied.

Palekh boxes are the most frequently purchased product. Images with a fairy tale theme are in demand. Masters illustrate books and create products with a variety of intricate designs. Fairy tales by A.S. are depicted. Pushkina, P.P. Bazhova. The city of artists is famous for souvenirs, the production of which is carried out using ancient recipes for creating paints.

Paints are made from natural materials. The painting is done with the finest squirrel brushes. At the end of the work, the paint is fixed with varnish. At the final stage, the surface is treated with gold and silver. There is an art school in the city where masters are trained. Russian lacquer miniatures are famous for their extraordinary scenic beauty.

On the main street there is a real rural club. It is a beautiful, carved wooden building, painted in light gray tones. There are notices about organizing rock concerts. This suggests that there are many young people in the village. Residents are not deprived of sports life. There is a central stadium. Football is popular. You can also see the central telegraph building.

The Palekh House of Crafts is a city institution. It opened in 1991. This was once the house of N.M. Safonova. This was the owner of an icon painting workshop at the end of the 19th century. The mansion has a separate room dedicated to Safonov. You will be able to get acquainted with personal belongings and photographs.

In addition, the exhibition hall contains many works by local ancient artists and modern authors. There are various sections and clubs for children. If desired, adults will also be able to learn the basics of ancient crafts. Spectacular, theatrical performances are periodically organized on the territory.

The monument to the fallen soldier is located in the central part of the city. The obelisk was erected as a tribute to all the soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War. The height of the monument reaches 14 meters. The composition is represented by the figure of a soldier. The warrior hero holds a sword in one hand. He is wearing soldier's boots, a cap and a raincoat. The Soviet soldier gathered for war to defend his homeland. In front of the monument there is an imitation of an eternal flame. Every year, on May 9, it lights up.

Video

Many people know Palekh primarily as the center of lacquer miniatures. But they began to engage in lacquer miniature painting in Palekh only after the revolution of the 17th year, when it became impossible to engage in icon painting, for which the city had been famous since ancient times. It’s good for politicians who instantly adapt with a change in the political system, and artists have to painfully search for new directions in their creative activity. And this happened more than once in the 20th century. When icon painting became irrelevant at the beginning of the century, the best artists of Palekh created the phenomenon of Palekh lacquer miniatures, which became famous throughout the world. In the 90s, a restructuring of the creative work of Palekh artists was again required, when the collectivist artel structure created during the years of Soviet power was completely destroyed. But Palekh artists again emerged from this situation with honor and were able to preserve the accumulated centuries-old experience both in icon painting and in the creation of lacquer miniatures. Fortunately, the connection between generations was not interrupted.

We visited Palekh during the now traditional summer trip to the cities of the Golden Ring. If last year the main city of the trip was Plyos, then this year Palekh became such a city. The city made an indelible impression. Many people note the unique atmosphere of Palekh and the unusual aura of this place - an amazing city of artists. A river with a beautiful name flows through the city - Paleshka. And the residents of Palekh call themselves Paleshans. Palekh is the birthplace of the Firebird; on the coat of arms and flag of the city there is a Firebird, executed in the traditional style of Palekh lacquer miniatures - gold on a black background.

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Coat of arms of Palekh

Flag of Palekh

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Entrance to the city

History of Palekh

The history of Palekh goes back to ancient times. There are several versions of the origin of the toponym Palekh. In these places, in impenetrable forests and swamps, Finno-Ugric tribes lived in ancient times, who later merged with the tribes of the South Slavs. Palekh in Finno-Ugric means an elevated place. Perhaps the name came from the words “fire, burn”, i.e. to burn the forest for settlement and plowing of fields. From written sources it is known that already in the 12-13th century Palekh was a large village. It is assumed that icon painters came to Palekh and surrounding villages after the capture of Vladimir by the Tatars in 1238, i.e., the Tatars could not have done it here either. Part of the population of the Vladimir-Suzdal land, including icon painters-monks, fled from the Tatars into dense, impenetrable forests, where they settled and preserved the art of icon painting. Icon painting was a family affair and there were entire family dynasties where boys became icon painters first by birth, and only then by vocation. In the 18th century, the art of Palekh icon painters acquired a unique style, later called “Palekh letters”. Palekh icons were famous for their special fineness of writing, bright tempera paints with the use of gold on the clothes of the saints. The Paleshans were also known as masters of monumental painting; they participated in the painting and restoration of many churches and cathedrals throughout Russia. For example, the masters of the workshop of the Belousov brothers painted the Faceted Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin. The list of religious objects in the painting and restoration of which Palekh icon painters had a hand in is impressive: these are the Dmitrov and Assumption Cathedrals of Vladimir, the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the Assumption Cathedral of the Sviyazhsky Monastery, St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod, the Novodevichy Convent in Moscow, the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma and a lot others.

The famous Russian historian Georgy Dmitrievich Filimonov, one of the founders of the first Public Museum in Moscow and head of the archives of the Armory Chamber, who visited Palekh in 1863, spoke about the Palekh artists: “... In the matter of icon painting, no locality can currently compare with Palekh , because icon painting here is not just a means, but a goal.” And another quote: “Instead of pitiful peasant artisans, I, quite unexpectedly, met a developed people, full of bright convictions and knowing their history...”. Since then, with the light hand of G.D. Filimonov, the name “village-academy” has stuck to Palekh.

In those days, Palekh's fame went far beyond Russia. From the correspondence of the historian N.M. Karamzin, it is known that the German poet Goethe in his declining years dreamed of coming to Palekh and seeing how, among the Russian expanses, artists, more like peasants, painted icons on wood that Byzantine masters would envy. The Vladimir governor A. N. Suponev even sent two icons by Palekh icon painters the Kaurtsev brothers as a gift to Goethe in Weimar.

Emerging in the deep provinces, among peasants, Palekh icon painting became a significant phenomenon in Russian artistic culture. But all icon painting naturally ceased with the Bolsheviks coming to power. Many families were left without a livelihood, many masters parted with their artistic craft forever. However, there were many among the Paleshans who could not imagine themselves outside the artistic profession. And a new artistic phenomenon happened, again glorifying a small settlement in the Ivanovo region throughout the world. Palekh miniature, which arose as a result of social and cultural changes that occurred in Russia after the revolution of the 17th year, managed to preserve the centuries-old traditions of icon painting as high art, transfer them to new forms and fill them with a different content that was in demand by society.

The founder of the Palekh style is considered to be Ivan Golikov, who wrote the first work in the so-called Palekh style in the Moscow workshop of Alexander Glazunov. This work was called "Adam in Paradise." The masters mastered painting on the new material papier-mâché, from which boxes, powder compacts, and jewelry were made, and transferred to them the technology of tempera painting traditional for ancient Russian icons and the conventional stylistics of the image. For the first time, Palekh miniatures on papier-mâché, commissioned by the Handicraft Museum, were presented at the All-Russian Agricultural and Handicraft Exhibition in 1923, where they were awarded a 2nd degree diploma. In 1924, seven Palekh artists, formerly accomplished masters of icon painting, led by Ivan Golikov, united in the “Artel of Ancient Painting.” Already in 1925, Palekh miniatures were exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris and received a gold medal there. In 1932, after the famous Moscow exhibition “The Art of Palekh”, which aroused extraordinary public interest, the Union of Palekh Artists arose. In 1954, the Palekh art and production workshops of the USSR Art Fund were formed, which successfully closed in the 90s.

What to see in Palekh

State Museum of Palekh Art. The museum's website is very informative and has an interesting video tour of Palekh. The museum was organized in 1934. Maxim Gorky took an active part in organizing the museum, although he had never been to Palekh. The Museum of Palekh Art is a significant museum complex, which includes many departments. The last to open was the exhibition center, which today houses a museum of icons. The museum's exhibition includes many authentic ancient Palekh icons.

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Exposition and exhibition center, which houses the museum of icons

Icon “Akathist to the Savior” 1770s. It is considered the standard of the Palekh style of icon painting. One of the most valuable icons of the Palekh Museum.

The section of Palekh lacquer miniatures is located in a separate two-story building across Bakanova Street. The exhibition of the museum of lacquer miniatures begins with display cases telling about the artistic materials used in Palekh, the technology of making papier-mâché products, and the methods of Palekh painting. The next room tells about the work of the founders of the art of Palekh lacquer miniatures N. I. Golikov, A. V. Kotukhin, I. V. Markichev and other masters, including modern ones. Through the exhibition you can trace the entire history of Palekh lacquer miniatures. It’s better to take a tour of the museum, then the art of Palekh will definitely not pass your mind. The excursion for us was conducted by a representative of one of the most famous dynasties of artists in Palekh - the Korins. She herself is an artist by profession, like most of her relatives and ancestors, her husband is a sculptor.

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Lacquer miniatures are stored in display cases under glass and are difficult to photograph.

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Classic examples of Palekh lacquer miniatures

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Ideologically consistent works

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Work dedicated to Gagarin. They say that Yuri Gagarin personally ordered this work from Palekh craftsmen and planned to give it to Khrushchev.

Holy Cross Church. It was erected in 1762−1774 in the strict forms of ancient Russian architecture of the 17th century by master Yegor Dubov on a high hill and dominates Palekh. The temple was built at the expense of parishioners. The wall painting was completed by 1807. The temple consists of four limits and a high bell tower. The interior of the temple is covered with fresco paintings made by Palekh masters under the direction of the Sapozhnikov brothers, owners of an icon-painting workshop in Moscow. Numerous compositions depict biblical history. All paintings are made in cold blue tones of a cloudless sky. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the temple. The blue color of the domes of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is its distinctive feature; you rarely see such a delicate heavenly color in the design of the domes. All members of our small company unanimously noted the architectural originality and exceptional beauty of the color design of the temple and associated it with the good artistic taste of the Palekh residents. The Church of the Exaltation of the Cross was not destroyed during the era of persecution of the church, and this is also the merit of the Paleshans. They showed some cunning when they turned to the People's Commissariat of Education of the RSFSR to include the temple in the museum's exhibition. In the spring of 1936, the property of the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, including ancient icons, was transferred to the State Museum of Palekh Art, which actually saved the temple and all its contents.

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Holy Cross Church

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Bell tower of the Holy Cross Church

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A fragment of the outer wall of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with the author’s inscription: “This Church of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross of the Lord is master Egor Dubov.”

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Evening panorama of Palekh with the bell tower of the Holy Cross Church

House-museum of Ivan Ivanovich Golikov. The first memorial museum in Palekh, associated with the creative heritage of the Palekh people. I. I. Golikov is considered the founder of Palekh lacquer miniatures and one of the most talented and bright artists of Palekh. The house-museum was opened in 1968 and is located in the courtyard of the Museum of Palekh Icons. The museum's exposition consists of a memorial room where the artist's personal belongings are presented, as well as a historical part telling about the creation of the Artel of Ancient Painting in Palekh. Unique ancient photographs of Palekh are presented. One of the museum’s stands presents the process of creating a Palekh box with Golikov’s rare personal instruments. Among the museum’s exhibits is a rare book, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” published in 1934, with illustrations by Golikov. It is noteworthy that the artist not only created illustrations for the book, but also wrote all the text by hand.

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Golikov House-Museum

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Bust of I. I. Golikov in front of the house-museum

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Workplace of I. I. Golikov. The flask is an analogue of the fluorescent lamp under which the Palekh craftsmen worked. A weak solution of copper sulfate was poured into it and after reflecting the glow of a kerosene lamp, the light took on the desired spectrum.

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The stand demonstrates the sequence of creation of the famous Palekh box. On the stand there are personal instruments of I. I. Golikov.

House-Museum of Korin. In 1974, the House-Museum of Pavel Dmitrievich Korin, People's Artist of the USSR, laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes, opened in Palekh. P. D. Korin carefully preserved this ancient house, built at the end of the 19th century by his grandmother, the furnishings and things that his ancestors used and bequeathed all this to his hometown along with a unique collection of icons, iconographic graphics and Western European engravings. The museum also contains works by many members of the Korin dynasty of artists - father, brothers and P. D. Korin himself: “Rowan Branch”, “Palekh Under Construction”, “Landscape with Pines”, etc.

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House-Museum of Korin

Museum-workshop of N.V. Dydykin. In 1978, a museum-workshop of the sculptor Nikolai Vasilyevich Dydykin, Honored Artist of the RSFSR, opened in Palekh. By analogy with the Korin House, this house preserves the memory of the ancient Palekh family of the Dydykins, whose representatives valued and were proud of their craft. In this tiny workshop, sculptural portraits of the oldest artists of lacquer miniatures were created: I. I. Golikov and N. M. Zinoviev, several sculptural and painting works by Andrei Rublev, portraits of A. Blok, D. Byron, S. Rachmaninov and others. Workshop and more than a hundred works by N.V. Dydykin were bequeathed by him to the State Museum of Palekh Art.

Church of Elijah the Prophet or Elias Church. It is an architectural monument of the 17th century. The church is located on the territory of an ancient churchyard, where the graves of famous Palekh artists are preserved: the Sofonov couple, the Korin couple, I. I. Golikov, I. M. Bakanov and others. The painting of the temple was carried out by local Palekh craftsmen from Sofonov’s workshop.

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Elias Church

The streets of old Palekh are a kind of museum, where every house reminds of the icon painters and masters of Palekh miniatures who lived and worked in them, their children and grandchildren - the next generation of artists - were born here.

On the main street hangs a bright poster in the Palekh style, which depicts the main attractions.

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Sights of Palekh, everything is within walking distance:

1-Hotel "Ark" 2-Salon "Russian Varnishes" 3-Museum of Lacquer Miniatures 4-Museum of Icons 5-House-Museum of I. I. Golikov 6-Bust of I. I. Golikov 7-House of Culture Palekh 8-Fountain "Spike" » 9-Church of the Exaltation of the Cross 10-Information and Local History Center 11-Stables 12-Temple of Elijah the Prophet (Ilya Church) 13-Chapel of A. Nevsky 14-Monument to the Paleshan Soldiers 15-House-Museum of P. D. Korin 16-Museum-Workshop N. V. Dydykina 17-Dining room “Palekh” 18-Palekh art school 19-Art workshop “Palekh style”

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This is the main street of Palekh

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The Paleshka River is located very close to the center of the village

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Backwater on the Paleshka River

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And this is the central house of Culture

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Almost the only local hotel called “Ark” with 7 rooms

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One of the main attractions is the stone house of the icon painter Nikolai Mikhailovich Sofonov. The house was built in 1860 and has survived to this day. N. M. Sofonov (1844-1910) - a famous master of icon painting, knew perfectly ancient Russian icon painting, its styles, carefully preserved the traditions of this art and educated his masters and students in this spirit. His icon-painting workshop employed up to 250 workers, and for the impeccable quality of his work he was awarded the title of “Supplier of His Imperial Majesty.” He was an excellent owner, paid his workers a good salary, gave them the opportunity to work seriously, built houses for his workers in Ilyinskaya Sloboda (now Gorky Street), some of which have survived to this day. The workers of his workshop, among other works, carried out the restoration of ancient monuments of icon painting: frescoes of the Moscow Kremlin, Novodevichy Convent, the Assumption Cathedral of Vladimir, churches of Sergiev Posad, Pskov, Tsaritsyn and other cities of Russia.

Where to learn Palekh writing

In 1928, a vocational school of ancient painting was opened in Palekh, the training in which lasted four years. In 1935, the school was transformed into an art college. In 1936, the technical school transferred to the system of the All-Union Committee for Arts and became known as the Palekh Art School named after A. M. Gorky. This school exists to this day. The duration of training is 4 years. Every year, 16 people are accepted for budget places, both residents of Palestine and residents of other regions. They say the competition is huge. Many graduates remain in Palekh. The quality of education at the Palekh School is highly valued by the professional community and graduates have no difficulty finding work in their specialty. In recent years, graduates are increasingly finding a calling in the Palekh artist’s native professional activity - icon painting and wall painting, and they are actively participating in the painting of Orthodox churches throughout Russia and abroad. Having survived the difficult 90s, the Palesians did not abandon their traditional craft. The Palekh Art School annually graduates young masters who carefully preserve the traditions and features that make Palekh miniature so interesting. Today in Palekh there are several artels and family businesses that produce both traditional lacquer miniatures and icons.

On the way back from Palekh, we drove past the Palekh Art School and noticed an announcement above its entrance that an exhibition was being held in its foyer to sell the best works of the school’s students. We couldn’t resist looking at the works of the new generation of Palekh artists. The director of the school, Mikhail Romanovich Belousov, a very well-known person in Palekh, easily came down to us to comment on the students’ work. It is largely to his credit that the school has such a high reputation in the Russian artistic community. As a souvenir, we bought a box from the best student of the school; in appearance it cannot be distinguished from the best examples of Palekh art, and this cannot but rejoice.

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Even the fire hydrant boxes at the school are painted to resemble Palekh.

But don’t rush to run to learn Palekh writing; in fact, it’s hellish work. First you need to make a form on which to paint. It is made from cardboard; the best material is made from coniferous wood. The cardboard is cut into strips, greased with flour paste and placed in several layers on a wooden form (blank). After the desired thickness has been obtained, the blank along with the cardboard is fixed in a special press. Under the influence of pressure, a workpiece of the required shape and size is obtained. The workpiece is dried at room temperature for about two weeks. Then it is dipped in warm linseed oil for impregnation for a day, after which it is dried for several days in a special oven, the temperature in which is maintained at a certain level. At the next stage, the workpiece is primed and polished. After sanding, several layers of black varnish are applied to its outer surface, and oil varnish with cinnabar is applied to the inner surface. Cinnabar is a well-known scarlet-colored mercury mineral. At the end of the process, the entire surface is varnished with several layers of light varnish. After applying each layer, the workpiece is dried in an oven. Finally, the workpiece is treated with pumice so that the paint does not roll off the smooth surface. Only after all these manipulations will the artist be able to begin painting. But this is just preparation. The painting itself is done with fresh egg tempera paints layer by layer over a fairly long period of time. The outline of the future design is applied to the product with a sharp pencil, then underpainting is done using white. It is on it that the master will apply many transparent and thin layers of painting. To apply them, you need the finest brushes, and each artist himself knits them from squirrel hair. The work is completed in cursive with created gold leaf (preparing created gold with egg yolk is a separate story) and “silver” based on aluminum. The gold frame of the picture is a key element of the Palekh writing technique. After this, the gold-painted design is polished with the tusk of a boar or wolf, and then the entire product is covered with several layers of varnish. After applying each of them, the design is dried, polished on a special polishing wheel, and then finished by hand polishing. Final polishing is done only by hand. The surface is treated for several hours with a palm moistened with water. The lacquer surface, polished by hand to a mirror finish, gives the image additional depth and richness. And after such work, how can one say that Palekh boxes are too expensive?

There are such heartfelt poems by the local poet from Ivanovo, Dmitry Semenovsky (1894-1960), dedicated to Palekh, which we could not help but mention:

Let the paints of the board be polished...

By the overflow of the casket...

A fascinated gaze will look...

The soul of the creator's people...

We liked Palekh as a city of ancient folk crafts, which has survived and developed despite the turbulent Russian history of the 20th century. It cannot be said that today everything is easy and simple for Palekh artists. There are problems, like the whole country, but after visiting the city I was left with a bright feeling that everything will continue to work out well for the Palekh masters. The appearance of the city is somewhat unsettled, some work could be done on the roads and transport, some houses require renovation. And if we compare Palekh with small cozy Western European cities, then the comparison in appearance will certainly not be in favor of Palekh, but in terms of the emotional impact on the Russian person, not a single foreign city even comes close to Palekh.

A few words about the features of lacquer miniatures - the “calling card” of Palekh; too many fakes can be found today. Lacquer miniatures are traditionally black, with red inside. On the front side of the product there must be a gold inscription “Palekh” in the lower left corner, and the author’s initials in the lower right corner. The bottom of the product must bear the company's logo, varnished. The cost of the product cannot be low - Palekh painting is an expensive pleasure.

How to get to Palekh

There is no railway station in Palekh; the nearest station is 30 km away in Shuya. From Moscow it is better to go by train to Ivanovo. Next by bus. By car from the capital, the shortest route passes through Vladimir and Kovrov, a distance of approximately 350 kilometers. You need to take the M7 road through Vladimir and Ivanovo, and then along the P152 through Shuya - the journey will take about 6 hours. From Ivanovo to Palekh - 65 kilometers, from Nizhny Novgorod - 170 km.

One of the most beautiful types of folk arts and crafts is Russian lacquer miniatures, the modern centers of which are located in Palekh, Fedoskino, Mstera and Kholuy.

The oldest center of this art is the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region, where artists for centuries not only painted icons, but also painted walls in Orthodox churches and restored ancient churches and cathedrals. Palekh miniature, which arose as a result of social and cultural changes that occurred in Russia after the October Revolution of 1917, managed to preserve the centuries-old traditions of icon painting and transfer them to new forms and fill them with other content that was in demand by society.

History of Russian varnishes

In Russia, lacquer painting has existed for more than two centuries. Its beginning is considered to be the end of the 18th century, when the Moscow merchant Korobov founded a factory for the production of lacquered visors intended for Russian army hats. Lacquer miniatures appeared somewhat later, when the custom of snuffing tobacco became fashionable at the Russian imperial court. Korobov managed to quickly organize the production of miniature lacquer boxes - snuff boxes. Over time, such things began to be used to decorate rooms. Accordingly, the requirements for their artistic design have become higher. Subsequently, the works of Russian masters began to differ noticeably from Western samples both in execution technique and in plots that had a clearly expressed theme. Thus, in Russian lacquer miniatures, heroes and scenes from folk epics and tales of classical and ancient Russian literature appeared, showing Russian traditions and life, reproducing the beauty of the surrounding nature.

Centers of Russian lacquer miniatures

In modern Russia there are four centers where the preserved ancient traditions of Russian art of miniature lacquer painting are actively developed: Fedoskino, Palekh, Kholui and Mstera. Before the revolution of 1917, all the villages, except Fedoskino, were known in Russia as large centers of icon painting, in which not only icons were created, but also restoration and wall painting masters were trained. Each of these centers created icons in the same Orthodox traditions, but at the same time had and their own characteristic differences. The masters from Kholui, as far as possible in icon painting, were close to Russian traditional realism, the residents of Mstera followed the traditions of the Old Believer communities of different Russian regions, and the Palekh artists created the most canonical Orthodox icons.

How icon painting began in Palekh

In the 16th century, the Palekh residents, under the influence of the earlier icon painting centers in Shuya and Kholui, began to try their hand at painting icons. There were few attempts, and they couldn’t be called particularly successful.

In the middle of the 17th century, the fame of Palekh icon painters reached Moscow, and masters began to be invited to perform works at the royal court. If in the 17th century icons were painted in almost every large village, then in the 18th century there were three main centers of icon painting: Kholui, Mstera and Palekh. The Paleshans, unlike the residents of the more industrialized Mstera and Kholuy, until the beginning of the 19th century, combined traditional agriculture with painting icons in their free time from working in the fields. Carefully drawn and traditional icons were created slowly and were expensive.

The beginning of the 19th century is considered the heyday of Palekh icon painting. Icons created in Palekh were sold not only in the capital and major Russian cities, but also abroad.

By the middle of the 19th century, the first workshops were organized in Palekh, owned by Safonov, Korin, Nanykin and Udalov. By the beginning of the 20th century, the production of icons became mass-produced, cheaper and of lower quality. The appearance of cheap printed images led to the decline of icon painting and the liquidation of a number of well-known workshops. At the beginning of the twentieth century, in Kholuy, Palekh and Mstera, to preserve traditions, the Committee for the Trusteeship of Russian Icon Painting created educational workshops that existed until 1917.

After the October Revolution, until 1923, most craftsmen in Palekh were left without work. Some went to the city in search of work, some tried to make toys, dishes or weave bast shoes. Before 1923, several attempts were made to employ former icon painters in painting caskets, children's toys, etc. However, things did not work out, since the need to produce large volumes at low prices, and the very nature of the products led to the production of low-quality products.

The date when the Palekh lacquer miniature was created, in the form in which we know it, should be considered the end of 1922, the beginning of 1923. It was then that theater artist Ivan Ivanovich Golikov created the composition “Adam in Paradise” on black papier-mâché blanks. This work interested the management of the Handicraft Museum (today the Museum of Folk Art), which began to supply the artist with materials and pay for his work. Subsequently, I.V. Markichev, A.V. Kotukhin and I.P. Vakurov joined the process. The works created by these masters were presented in 1923 at the All-Russian Art and Industrial Exhibition in Moscow and were awarded a 1st degree diploma. In 1924, the artists' works were presented at an exhibition in Venice, and in 1925 - in Paris, where they created a real sensation and enjoyed great success. All this led to the fact that on December 5, 1924 in Palekh V.V. and A.V. Kotukhin, A.I. and I.I. Zubkov, I.V. Markichev, I.M. Bakanov and I.I. Golikov created the Artel of Ancient Painting.

The newborn Palekh miniature faced a number of problems: first of all, a new material was needed - papier-mâché, the technology of which was not known to the Palekh artists; in addition, it was necessary to move from painting a flat canvas of an icon to the design of things and objects with volume and shape.

And the assortment and shapes of objects painted by Palekh masters was quite large: brooches, bead holders, chests, boxes, cigarette cases and snuff boxes, eyeglass cases and powder compacts and much more. The Palekh miniature of that time has a strongly expressed ornamental beginning, but it lacks vivid images and a developing storyline. The most successful and popular compositions of that time were battles, shepherdesses, hunting, parties and troikas.

We can safely say that it was in the 20s of the twentieth century that lacquer miniatures in Palekh were formed under the influence of both the ancient Russian icon-painting tradition and the entire world art.

Post-war years

In the first peaceful decades, many masters of Palekh miniatures depicted various battle scenes in their works, both from the recently ended World War II and other great battles that glorified the Russian army. In the fifties, according to many art historians, lacquer miniatures in Palekh were experiencing a clear crisis, which was caused by the tendency of many artists towards excessive realism, which displaced from their works the romance and sublime sophistication characteristic of the works of previous years. The Palekh miniature, the photo of which is presented below, clearly shows the influence of Soviet ideology of that time on artists.

Excessive realism, monumentality and pathos characterize most of the works created during these years, although there were some masters who preserved romanticism and the traditions of the old school.

The sixties are characterized by the fact that monumentality and excessive naturalism are disappearing, and sublimity and romantic haze are returning to Palekh, lacquer miniatures are once again becoming poetic and allegorical. During this period, Paleshan artists turned not only to folklore sources, but also to works of classical literature, as well as to modern songs. At the same time, socially significant events, such as, for example, human space flight, are also reflected in the works of masters.

The seventies and eighties of the 20th century became the heyday of Palekh painting. Palekh artists are invited to develop scenery for various concert programs and decorative design for children's and cultural institutions.

Modernity

Having survived the difficult 90s, the Palesians did not abandon their traditional craft. The Palekh Art School annually graduates young masters who carefully preserve the traditions and features that make Palekh miniature so interesting. Today there are several artels and family businesses that produce traditional lacquer products in Palekh.

Distinctive features

Palekh painting, like any other folk art formed in a particular area, has its own distinctive features and traditions. As already mentioned, icon painting has glorified Palekh for centuries. Lacquer miniatures have adopted many features from icon painting, such as, for example, the construction of a composition and careful elaboration of every detail. We can say that Palekh miniature grew out of the centuries-old traditions of icon painting.

The Palekh style differs from other folk schools of lacquer painting in the following features:

• drawing integral compositions and plots;
• miniature painting;
• patternedness and ornamental richness of the design;
• careful detailing of each element;
• elongation and fragility of human figures;
• the subtlety of drawing parts of people's bodies;
• various color transitions;
• use of dark backgrounds;
• using egg tempera;
• gold painting.

But in order for the artist to begin creating a miniature, it is necessary first of all to create a product from papier-mâché that will be painted.

How is papier-mâché made?

It is made from cardboard, which is pre-cut into strips, greased with paste made from wheat flour, and overlapped on a wooden form (blank). After the desired thickness has been obtained, the blank along with the cardboard is fixed in a special press. Under pressure they turn into tubes of various shapes and sizes. The glues pressed in this way are dried at room temperature for about two weeks. Then the dried blanks are dipped in warm linseed oil for impregnation for a day, after which they are dried for four days in a special oven, the temperature in which is maintained at 120 0 C. At the next stage, the blank is primed and sanded. After sanding, several layers of black varnish are applied to its outer surface, and oil varnish with cinnabar is applied to the inner surface. At the end of the process, the entire surface is varnished with several layers of light varnish. After applying each layer, the workpiece is dried at a certain temperature in an oven. Only after all these manipulations will the artist be able to begin painting.

Techniques and techniques

As already noted, one of the distinctive features of Palekh lacquer miniature painting is writing with egg tempera paints.

To prevent paints from rolling off a smooth varnish surface, it is specially treated with pumice. The outline of the future drawing is applied to the product with a sharp pencil, and underpainting is done. It is on this that the master will apply many transparent and thin layers of painting. There are five main stages in creating an image:

1. Opening - outlining the main silhouettes and contours.

2. Registration - clarification of contours and shades of color.

3. Float - applying liquid glaze paint with thick strokes.

4. Glare - a notch made with created gold.

5. Framing the painting with a gold pattern.

After this, the ornament made in gold is polished with an agate in the form of a cone or a wolf’s tooth, and then the entire product is covered with 6-7 layers of varnish. After each application, the work is dried, polished on a special polishing wheel, and then finished by hand polishing. The varnish surface, polished to a mirror finish, gives the image additional depth and makes the colors “sound” more richly and softly.

Palekh miniatures are known throughout the world and have existed for almost a hundred years. But in fact, this artistic tradition is several centuries old. Palekh became a center in the 17th century; The Palekh icon before the revolution was no less famous than the Palekh box today, and these two types of art are directly related. In 1924, seven years after the revolution, Palekh hereditary icon painters figured out how to apply their skills and preserve the ancient Russian artistic tradition in a new, atheistic culture. Masters Ivan Bakanov, Ivan Vakurov, Ivan Golikov, Alexander Kotukhin, Ivan Markichev and art historians Anatoly Bakushinsky and Alexander Glazunov created the Palekh Artel of Ancient Painting and transferred icon-painting styles to lacquer miniatures  The masters of Kholuy and Mstera did a similar thing, but although these three centers of lacquer miniatures are often put on the same line, each of them is original. Palekh is the founder of the artistic style and unique author's works in miniature, monumental art, book graphics, scenography and porcelain decoration. Kholui and Mstyora deal exclusively with lacquer miniatures. Kholui in his compositions is more laconic and focused on mass copying from samples; The miniature landscape genre was created there. Mstera loves realistic painting, completely fills the black background and prefers a warm golden or bluish-gray color tone.. Of course, the Soviet government did not call Palekh artists heirs of a centuries-old tradition; for them, the art of Palekh became a folk craft, and the artists became peasants. The “nationality” imposed by the ideology dictated the plots and their perception: in any event, be it a flight into space or harvesting, a wonderful fairy tale was seen. In post-Soviet mythology, the diverse art of Palekh is “agitlak,” the mass production of products with Soviet symbols and themes. But in fact, miniatures of the Palekh Artel of ancient painting were painted on eternal subjects like “The Harvest” or “The Kiss” and were sent for export. The West, which first saw Palekh art at an exhibition in Venice in 1924, has since then regularly ordered boxes and waited not for propaganda, but for apolitical subjects. The revolutionary theme of the works was mainly situational: the boxes were created for all-Union exhibitions or as exclusive gifts to the party leadership. For example, one of the most interesting compositions with a Soviet theme is the plate  Plate- interior decoration made of papier-mâché. Pavel Bazhenov “Guarding the Borders of the USSR” 1935.

How Palekh miniature inherits icon painting

Four-part icon with saints in the margins. Palekh letters. Second half of the 18th centuryHouse-Museum of P. D. Korin, Moscow / palekh.narod.ru

Pavel Bazhenov. Churilo Plenkovic. Casket. 1934A. M. Gorky Apartment Museum, Moscow / Wikimedia Commons

Each master of the Palekh artel used his favorite technique in lacquer miniatures, hence the variety of new art. In the works of Ivan Vakurov there are clear traditions of the Novgorod style of the 15th century. In the compositions of Ivan Golikov, Alexander Kotukhin and Dmitry Butorin - the Stroganov school of the 17th century. In the works of Ivan Markichev, Ivan Bakanov one can find the traditions of the frescoes of the Savior on Nereditsa, Andrei Rublev, and the masters of Kostroma and Rostov in the 17th century. Aristarkh Dydykin comes from the traditions of the school of Simon Ushakov and the Palekh style of the 18th century; Ivan Zubkov - from the Fryazhsky letter of the late 19th century. The stylistic features of different icon painting styles are best seen in images of slides, trees and architecture. But the depictions of people and horses underwent greater transformation, because the authors followed the plots and compositional tasks of the 20th century.

Mikhail Zinoviev, Vasily Markichev. Icon of the Menaion with the Resurrection and Passion of the Lord. 19th centuryState Museum of Palekh Art

Ivan Golikov. Bead pot with painting “Battle”. 1926

The bead size is only 4 by 5 cm.

Pre-revolutionary Palekh was famous for its icons of miniature, or, as they were called, petty work. These were small prayer icons based on menya scenes.  Menaea(from the Greek “month-long”) - a book with texts for church or home annual worship., twelve holidays, small hagiographic icons, compositions depicting iconostases. The peculiarity of this type of icons was the preservation of the purity and rigor of the canon, the jewelry meticulousness of the writing, the virtuoso icon-painting technique, but most importantly, many finely painted compositions or images were placed on the small surface of the icon board. This skill is one of the foundations of the Palekh style. Masters painted tiny beads and brooches, placing epic scenes with many heroes on them.

Akathist to Saint Nicholas. Stamp “Saving drowning people”. Palekh letters. Mid-18th century

The mark is a plot-wise and compositionally independent part of the icon.

Ivan Zubkov. Cigarette case with the painting “Because of the island on the rod...”. 1927State Museum of Palekh Art

The iconography of Palekh akathists gave many options for visual solutions for a variety of spaces and subjects: the sea, mountains, buildings inside and outside, people in a city square, a lonely traveler in a forest or desert. Artists borrowed these iconographic solutions and developed them coloristically and plastically to solve new problems.

Icon "Great Martyr Barbara". Palekh letters. Second half of the 18th centuryState Museum of Palekh Art

Dmitry Butorin. “Near Lukomorye there is a green oak tree...”State Museum of Palekh Art

Palekh small icons are distinguished by a very complex compositional structure with many mini-plots in one icon and a clear center of the composition. For example, this principle is used by the artist Dmitry Butorin in the miniature “Near the Lukomorye there is a green oak tree...”. He builds the composition according to the canon: Pushkin appears in the center, writing down the cat’s fairy tales, and all other groups of characters from a compositional point of view are subordinate to this center.

Icon of “Joy of All Who Sorrow.” Palekh letters. First half of the 18th centuryState Museum of Palekh Art

Ivan Bakanov. Box with painting "Palekh". 1934State Museum of Palekh Art

The basis of Palekh lacquer art was the complex painting technique of floating, also preserved from icon painting. In this technique, transparent paints of different tones are applied in several layers, each layer responsible for its own section of the drawing. Faces were painted in icons using this method. As a result, the transitions from dark to light are imperceptible, and the sharp whitening engines that complete the image give it dynamism.

Icon "Protection of the Mother of God". Palekh letters. Mid-19th centuryState Museum of Palekh Art

Alexander Kotukhin. Box with painting “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”. 1946State Museum of Palekh Art

In the Palekh icon, painting was organically combined with golden backgrounds. Gold-volume painted the gaps of clothes  Space- a technique of icon painting and Palekh painting, with the help of which a feeling of volume of figures is achieved; strokes written with white, gold or paint in several layers., patterning of lattices, curtains, vestments. Gold painting is also used in lacquer miniatures, solving a variety of decorative problems (this is another significant difference between Palekh and other centers of lacquer miniatures - Kholuy, Mstera and Fedoskina).

Akathist to the Savior. Icon of Palekh writing. Late 18th century

O. A. Kolesova, Deputy Director of the State Museum of Palekh Art

Palekh is a small picturesque village located in the heart of Central Russia. In the 14th century, Palekh became the center of the appanage Paletsky principality, the feudal fiefdom of the Paletsky princes, who later became related to the royal family. However, having gone into the service of the Moscow princes, the Paletskys lost their ancestral lands, receiving other estates in return. In his spiritual will of 1572, Ivan the Terrible designated the village of Palekh as a local estate for his son Ivan. In 1627, Palekh was granted by Tsar Mikhail Romanov to the steward Ivan Matveevich Buturlin and his sons, who participated in the militia of Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, “for the Moscow siege seat of the king.”

Palekh became famous due to the icon painting craft that arose here in the 17th century. Many Palekh residents, being serf peasants of the Buturlin landowners, maintained Yamsky yards, were engaged in the manufacture of sheepskins, and trade, but, as a rule, in the winter, from November to April, someone in the family certainly earned money by “writing images” both in Palekh and beyond. The Buturlins willingly gave their peasants permission to travel to Moscow, St. Petersburg and more distant provinces. Palekh icons were exported abroad - to the Serbs and Bulgarians, to Turkish and Austrian possessions.

The Paleshans were famous not only as icon painters, but also as masters of monumental paintings. Their work on the restoration of ancient frescoes in the Vladimir cathedrals - the Assumption and Dmitrievsky, Sophia of Novgorod, in the cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra is known. The Belousov family of Palekh icon painters painted the Faceted Chamber in the Moscow Kremlin in 1882. The Paleshans also decorated modest provincial churches in neighboring towns and villages with frescoes: Kineshma, Vichuga, Lezhnev, Yarlykovo, Mugreevsky.

Despite the proximity of busy roads, Palekh lived in seclusion, preserving the patriarchal peasant life, ancient traditions of oral folk art and folklore. Numerous reviews, notes, and essays by researchers of the Russian province noted the special way of life of the Paleshans, their high morality and spirituality. In the middle of the 19th century, the famous expert on ancient Russian painting G.D. Filimonov, having visited Palekh, called it “a village-academy of the people.” This definition has not lost its significance to this day.

The October Revolution of 1917 interrupted for a long time the development of traditional icon-painting crafts in Russia, including in Palekh. In December 1924, the Artel of Ancient Painting for painting papier-mâché products was organized here. Its founders were former icon painters: I. I. Golikov, I. M. Bakanov, A. V. Kotukhin, V. V. Kotukhin, I. V. Markichev, I. I. Zubkov, A. I. Zubkov. This gave rise to the new art of Palekh, which became a significant phenomenon in world artistic culture.

As a result of successful creative searches, the Palesians showed the world masterly compositions on various papier-mâché objects, painted with a rainbow of colors and “golden patterns”. Talented craftsmen skillfully used the decorative possibilities of the background, material, and shape of objects. Palekh artists maintained a strong connection with the traditions of ancient Russian painting. They did not abandon the usual technique of writing with egg paints and painting with “created gold”. A distinctive feature of Palekh lacquer miniatures were medieval techniques of stylization of natural and architectural forms, conventions in the depiction of human and animal figures.

The most numerous and most successfully designed compositions of the first years of the existence of Palekh miniatures were “troikas”, “hunts”, “battles”, “couples”, “shepherdesses”, “idyls”, “revelry”. They are characterized by the absence of a developed plot and eventfulness, but at the same time they have a clearly expressed ornamental element.

Ivan Ivanovich Golikov is rightfully considered a unique and incredibly talented artist. Golikov’s “troikas” are dynamic, impetuous, sometimes stately and solemn. The Palekh master turned to this motif many times, painting winter and summer threes on a variety of objects: brooches, powder compacts, cigarette cases, trays. His “battles” and “hunts” with fabulous thin-legged horses and fancy riders are a manifestation of truly indomitable imagination.

Ivan Mikhailovich Bakanov was known in Palekh as the best expert on icon painting traditions. He flawlessly mastered the original technique of applying paint layers. Thanks to the transmission of the lower layers of paint through the thin, transparent upper layers, the effect of mobility of the color spot, the effect of the flow of one tone into another, is created. Bakanov created many wonderful works that have become classics of Palekh art. He turned to song themes - “Stepan Razin”, “On the pavement street” - sang the image of his native Palekh. But his best works were written on the themes of Pushkin’s works - “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”, “From the Threshold of My Hut”, “The Bakhchisarai Fountain”.

Ivan Ivanovich Zubkov was a keen connoisseur of rural nature. There is no developed action in his miniatures; the artist seems to be contemplating nature. The figures have smooth, somewhat slow movements, which creates a feeling of peace and quiet. The artist builds a colorful range on subtle tonal relationships, on gentle transitions from one color to another. These are his miniatures “Couple”, “By the River”, “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish”.

One of the most original Palekh artists is Aristarkh Aleksandrovich Dydykin. In his compositions, he skillfully combined ancient iconographic motifs and new techniques mastered in the process of working on miniatures. The works of this master are characterized by a special interpretation of the landscape, abundant application of gold in the ornaments and spaces. The best miniatures by A. A. Dydykin - “You, Vanya, have gone crazy”, “Demyanov’s ear”, “Emancipation of a woman”, “Volga - Russian River” - are in the collection of the State Museum of Palekh Art.

The terrible wartime, a time of testing the moral strength of the people, led to the appearance of numerous works on historical themes in the art of Palekh. In 1945, P. Chalunin painted a wonderful miniature, one of the best in his work - “The Battle of Chelubey with Peresvet.” The absence of everyday details and furnishings gives the miniature a symbolic sound. Rearing horses personify the forces of dark and light, the eternal struggle of good with evil. But allegory and symbolism are combined here with a reliable description of the images. The face of a Mongol warrior with wide cheekbones and slanted eyes expresses a whole range of feelings: anger, hatred, intoxication from battle. The calm, enlightened face of Peresvet speaks of monastic meekness, kindness, and moral strength of the disciple Sergius of Radonezh. Only the formidable appearance of the horse Peresvet and the fluttering monastic schema, reminiscent of the wings of a fantastic bird of prey, make it clear how great the desire of the monk-warrior to hit the enemy.

The miniatures by N. M. Zinoviev “Battles of the Ancestors for the Russian Land”, A. M. Kurkin “Our Ancestors”, A. A. Dydykin “History of Moscow”, A. I. Vatagin “Russian Generals” depict the victories of Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, Dmitry Pozharsky. Since military operations during the struggle against the Poles and Lithuanians, who captured Moscow and other Russian lands, also affected our region, the events of that historical era were widely reflected in the art of the Palesans. The museum collection contains miniatures by A. A. Dydykin “Minin Calls for the Fight against the Polish Interventionists”, A. I. Vatagin “Kozma Minin”, N. M. Parilov “For the Fatherland”, N. I. Golikov “Ivan Susanin”. The Russian people mythologize the images of their defenders, giving them the features of epic heroes. This is how Palekh artists see them too.

The portrait is developing as an independent genre of Palekh lacquer miniatures. Its founders were former personal icon painters: N. A. Pravdin, I. F. Palikin, I. G. Serebryakov. On various papier-mâché objects - plates, boxes, brooches, cigarette cases - Palekh artists paint portraits of statesmen, historical figures and their contemporaries.

A new stage in the history of Palekh art began in the 1980s, which were characterized by the amazing creative rise of many masters. The soul of the team of Palekh artists at this time was the Honored Artist of the RSFSR V. M. Khodov (1942–1988). The decorative plate “Song” is iconic in his work. A friendly group of artists gathered in a pine forest, on the banks of the Paleshki River. They sing soulfully. But this simple plot contains a deep symbolic meaning: V. M. Khodov simultaneously presented artists of different generations. In the center is I. I. Golikov, on the left are his contemporaries I. M. Bakanov, I. V. Markichev, A. V. Kotukhin, I. I. Zubkov, D. N. Butorin, on the right are the miniaturists of Chodov’s era G. M. Melnikov, N. I. Golikov, B. M. Ermolaev, senior contemporaries, as well as V. F. Morokin, A. N. Klipov, who began their creative career together with V. M. Khodov.

Continuity of generations and loyalty to traditions have become the main criteria in the creative search for young talented masters. Among the iconic works of those years there are many small caskets of simple shape. The idea of ​​true miniature as the art of small forms is given by the works of E. F. Shchanitsyna, I. V. Livanova, N. B. Gribov. Small boxes, beads, tiny caskets decorate compositions by many authors on song, historical, and folklore themes.

In the turning point years of the 1990s, Palekh artists poeticized peasant labor, turned an everyday action into a symbol, an ideal of harmony and beauty, and painted the image of their native land.

Recently, more and more compositions have appeared that are devoid of any plot action. The symbolic principle clearly predominates in them, reflecting the process of spiritualization of earthly existence. In the miniature “Melody” by A. N. Klipov, the most ordinary signs of autumn - bright clusters of rowan berries, fallen leaves, ripe apples, a bouquet of chrysanthemums - turn into lines of a slightly sad elegy or into the sounds of quiet and tender music.

One of the trends in the art of Palekh in recent decades is religious painting. This is either the actual icon or a miniature of a religious subject. Modern Palekh icon painters carry out orders for the production of iconostasis, painting of churches, and painting small images. Palekh, as the most consistent guardian of the stylistic features of the art of icon painting, is given a special role in the process of its revival.

Currently, more than 600 artists live in Palekh; every tenth resident of Palekh is a graduate of the Palekh Art School named after A. M. Gorky. They work in various creative groups: the cooperative “Association of Palekh Artists”, JSC “Partnership Palekh”, LLC “Artists of Palekh”, icon painting and iconostasis workshops.

Of great importance in the preservation and development of a unique craft is the State Museum of Palekh Art, where the best examples of Palekh icon painting and lacquer miniatures are located. A sample room was created in the Artel of Ancient Painting, which marked the beginning of the museum collection. In the 1930s, its formation was continued by the famous art critic, first director of the State Museum of Palekh Art G.V. Zhidkov with the participation of A.M. Gorky, P.D. Korin, E.F. Vikhrev, A.V. Bakushinsky. The opening of the State Museum of Palekh Art took place on March 13, 1935, during the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Artel of Ancient Painting.