How and from what Palekh products are made. Russian folk crafts

Palekh has been famous for its icon painters since pre-Petrine times. Palekh icon painting reached its greatest flourishing in the 18th - early 19th centuries. The local style developed under the influence of the Moscow, Novgorod, Stroganov and Yaroslavl schools.

In addition to icon painting, the Palesians were engaged in monumental painting, participating in the painting and restoration of churches and cathedrals, including the Faceted Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin, the temples of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and the Novodevichy Convent.

After the revolution of 1917, Palekh artists were forced to look for new forms of realizing their creative potential. In 1918, artists created the Palekh artistic decorative artel, which was engaged in painting on wood.

, CC BY-SA 3.0

The people of Palestine became acquainted with the new material papier-mâché, which for a century had been the basis for Fedoskin’s lacquer miniatures.

The masters mastered the new material, transferring to it the traditional technology of tempera painting for ancient Russian icons and the conventional style of the image.

"Snow Maiden" author. Polunina

On December 5, 1924, seven Palekh artists I. I. Golikov, I. V. Markichev, I. M. Bakanov, I. I. Zubkov, A. I. Zubkov, A. V. Kotukhin, V. V. Kotukhin united in "Artel of Ancient Painting". Later they were joined by artists I. P. Vakurov, D. N. Butorin, N. M. Zinoviev. In 1925, Palekh miniatures were exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris.

"The village of Palekh." Box, 1934. I. M. Bakanov Alex Bakharev, Public Domain

The Union of Palekh Artists arose in 1932. In 1935, the artel was transformed into the Palekh Artists' Association, and in 1954 the Palekh art and production workshops of the USSR Art Fund were formed.

Typical subjects of Palekh miniatures are borrowed from everyday life, literary works of the classics, fairy tales, epics and songs. The works are usually done with tempera paints on a black background and painted in gold.

How to distinguish from fakes

Each product, made by hand by a master, is never repeated, and undoubtedly reflects the creative individuality of the author.

The unique and subtle art of lacquer miniatures in Palekh incorporates the principles of ancient Russian painting and folk art as its basis.

vector-images.com, Public Domain

Palekh miniatures are signed according to a single pattern. On the cover of the item there is a serial number of the semi-finished product, an indication of the place (Palekh), the surname and initials of the author.

Since 1934, the signature “Made in USSR” was placed on the bottom of the box, which was changed to “Made in Russia” in 1992. All signatures are made in created gold.

At the end of the 80s, a trademark appeared on the works of Palekh Artists - the firebird. Each work is accompanied by a certificate indicating the authenticity of the work.

For more than ten years, the main production association for the production of miniatures has been ".

The presence of the company's trademark indicates genuine Palekh lacquer painting.

Guide to Russian Crafts, CC BY-SA 3.0

Briefly about the technology

The work of a Palekh artist begins with the preparation of paint. Paints in Palekh are diluted using egg emulsion.

Before painting, the surface of the product is treated with pumice. Then the artist applies a drawing to the semi-finished product with a finely sharpened pencil.
Then the image is drawn with whitewash using a very thin squirrel brush (the artists also make their own brushes).

A layer of white is necessary so that when the painting is subsequently coated with varnish, black spots do not appear through the paint (the varnish slightly dissolves the paint).

Brand "Snow Maiden" Mariluna, CC BY-SA 3.0

Having finished the work with paints, the artist takes up the gold. Gold leaf (one portion - 10 sheets 12x7 cm) is carefully crushed and rubbed with fingers. Gold painting is also done with the finest brush.

After the artist has put his signature on the product, it is varnished and dried.

The piece is then polished on a mechanical wheel covered in plush or velvet.

Photo gallery

Helpful information

Palekh miniature

Forefathers of the style

The founders of the Palekh style are I. I. Golikov and Alexander Aleksandrovich Glazunov, in whose Moscow workshop Ivan Golikov painted the first work in the so-called Palekh style.

First confession

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.

Training in Palekh miniature

Features of the Palekh letter

The style of Palekh painting is characterized by a thin and smooth pattern predominantly on a black background, an abundance of golden shading, and a clear silhouette of flattened figures, sometimes completely covering the surface of the lid and side walls of the boxes. The decorativeness of the landscape and architecture, the elongated graceful proportions of the figures, the color based on a combination of three primary colors - red, yellow and green - go back to the traditions of ancient Russian icon painting. The composition is usually framed with exquisite ornaments made of melted gold. Gold in Palekh miniatures is not only a key element of writing technique, but also part of the artistic worldview. It is associated with the symbol of light. In Christian symbolism, light becomes a prototype of Divine grace.

Contemporary artists

Currently, workshops of the Russian Art Fund, small private workshops and individual artists continue to work in Palekh. Among them are T. I. Zubkova, A. A. Kotukhina, N. I Golikov, A. M. Kurkin, K. Kukulieva and B. N. Kukuliev, A. D. Kochupalov, T. Khodova, V. V. Morokin, B. Ermolaev, E. Shchanitsyna and others.

Using a magnifying glass

The work of a miniature artist requires not only creative inspiration, but also enormous precision and thoroughness, which is why Palekh painters often have to resort to the help of a magnifying glass.

Wolf tooth

In order for the gold applied to the product to acquire shine, it must be polished. A wolf tooth is used for this - it has a particularly smooth surface. Even with the advent of new technologies and materials, nothing could replace this exotic instrument.

Manual finishing

The final finishing touches during polishing are done only by hand. The surface is covered with lard and treated for an hour with a palm moistened with water. From friction, the surface of the varnish heats up, becomes completely leveled and acquires a mirror shine.

Many people know Palekh primarily as the center of lacquer miniatures. But they began to engage in lacquer miniatures 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.

Coat of arms of Palekh

Flag of Palekh

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 southern 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 archive 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.

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.

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

Classic examples of Palekh lacquer miniatures

Ideologically consistent works

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.

Holy Cross Church

Bell tower of the Holy Cross Church

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 Holy Cross of the Lord is master Egor Dubov.”

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.

Golikov House-Museum

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

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.

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.

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 Sofonovs, the Korins, I.I. Golikov, I.M. Bakanov and others. The painting of the temple was carried out by local Palekh craftsmen from Sofonov’s workshop.

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.

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”

This is the main street of Palekh

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

Backwater on the Paleshka River

And this is the central house of Culture

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

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 passed by the Palekh Art School and above its entrance we noticed an announcement 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 famous 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.

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 into 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 can be done on the roads and transport, some houses require repairs. 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.

Palekh painting is one of the rarest and most unique in the world and, despite the complexity of the process, Palekh residents still paint blanks in the “old-fashioned” way.

These are, first of all, lacquer miniatures (boxes, caskets, souvenirs, badges), jewelry, icons, panels, portraits and canvases for interiors.

From the history of Palekh painting

This special type of painting originated in Ancient Rus'. In those days, Palekh painting was used to decorate temples and icons. The abundance of gold, soft tones and elongated figures inherent in this type of painting were perfectly suited for creating biblical scenes. But the monotonous theme did not provide an outlet for the creative self-expression of artists, and over time, some masters moved away from a purely religious theme and wove pictures of Russian nature, fairy tale plots, and folklore motifs into their works.

Icon of the Pantocrator (Pantocrator). Wood, gesso, tempera, oil. 31 x 26.4 cm. State Museum of Palekh Art. Artist V.V. Zhegalov
In addition to icons, boxes, panels, and household appliances (for example, writing utensils, trays) began to appear. Lush flowers bloomed on their surface, dressed in the crimson of the forest, Alyonushka cried by the river, Ivan Tsarevich rushed on a gray wolf, or the Russian people had fun, celebrating Maslenitsa. And each plot was and remains unique, because it is written by hand and is never repeated.

The village of Palekh. Casket (1934). Artist I.M. Bakanov

Palekh painting technique

The Palekh technique cannot be confused with any other, only it is characterized by patterns, thin, graceful lines, elongation and careful linear cutting of figures, and an abundance of landscape decorations. And the technique of applying, fixing and processing the drawing, passed down from antiquity, gives it internal depth and richness of colors. A similar technique was used to paint ancient frescoes, and it has no analogues in the whole world. Modern masters of Palekh painting create their works by hand from start to finish, relying only on old techniques and techniques. The artist independently prepares the future item, specially processes it, paints it, applies gold and seals the result. Due to their high quality, Paleshan products are valued all over the world.

Manufacturing of products for painting

The blank for Palekh lacquer miniatures is cardboard. The master cuts it into shapes of a certain size and glues them one on top of the other on a wooden block using flour paste. The number of layers is determined by the thickness of the product. The workpiece is then pressed and dried for several days. The resulting semi-finished product must be completely saturated with linseed oil (for this purpose flour glue was used, which, unlike synthetic glue, will allow linseed oil to pass through itself and allow it to be deeply absorbed). The workpiece is dipped into a vat of hot oil and kept there for a day. Then oven drying again (2 days at 100˚C). Now the product can be sanded, processed with a file or an emery brush. At the same stage, hooks, canopies, and hinges are attached to the product.

To prime the product, a special composition is prepared from oil, soot and red clay. Several layers of varnish are already applied to the primer: 2-3 layers of black varnish on the outside, and oil varnish with cinnabar (a mineral made of mercury and sulfur) on the inside. The last stage of obtaining the correct workpiece is the application of 7 layers of light varnish with mandatory oven drying of each layer. Light varnish is also made by Palekh craftsmen according to ancient recipes. Now the product is ready for painting, which real artists do only with self-prepared paints from egg yolks, vinegar and minerals. The master goes over the surface of the product with pumice so that the paints do not spread, draws the contours of the pattern first with a pencil, then with whitewash, and then paints it with a thin squirrel hair brush (which he makes himself). The dimensions of the pattern are so small that artists often have to resort to using a magnifying glass.

"Three maidens by the window". Casket (1931). Artist P.D. Bazhenov
The painted product is dried and the design is fixed with varnish. Only after this the master begins to paint the product with gold and silver leaf. To make precious metals shine, they are polished with agate or wolf's tooth. The entire product is again coated with several layers of varnish, dried and sanded to a mirror shine.

"Chichikov at Korobochka." Casket (1936). Artist V.M. Salabanov

Palekh painting originated in the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region, from where it got its name. This type of decorative and applied art 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 details, the effect of lightness and celebration is created.

The peculiarities of Palekh painting are related to 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 is used 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 on the 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 videos that present various options for lacquer miniatures and tell in detail about the stages of creating these unique and amazing images.

Treasures of Russian art.

Palekh. Palekh lacquer miniature.

The history of Palekh goes back to ancient times. In the 15th century, the village of Palekh was part of the Vladimir-Suzdal lands. According to the Spiritual Testament of Ivan the Terrible in 1572, the village of Palekh was in the local ownership of his son Ivan. In 1616, Palekh was listed as the estate of Vasily Ivanovich Ostrogubov and the widow of Yuri Ivanovich Ostrogubov. Soon it was granted patrimonial ownership to Ivan Buturlin “for the Moscow siege of the prince,” that is, for participation in the war against the Polish-Lithuanian intervention. According to the scribe books of 1628-1630 of the Vladimir district of the Bogolyubsky camp, Palekh is the patrimony of Ivan Buturlin and his children.

In 1693, a wooden church in the name of the Exaltation of the Cross was built and illuminated in Palekh, in 1696 a chapel was consecrated in honor of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, and in 1742 - in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In 1774, at the expense of parishioners, Yegor Dubov built the current stone church of the Exaltation of the Cross. At the end of the 19th century, Palekh was a small village. The population was mainly engaged in icon painting and crafts: wood carving, linen weaving, embroidery, and sheepskin making. On Orthodox holidays, rich fairs were held here.

Bakanov I.M. "Village Palekh"
1934, box

Palekh is a name of Finno-Ugric origin. The results of archaeological excavations of a moundless burial ground of the 8th century confirm that for a long time one of the numerous Finno-Ugric tribes lived in the region. The Finno-Ugric tribes completely dissolved among the Slavs, who gradually populated the northeastern lands of Rus' and their linguistic culture can be traced only in geographical names - Purekh, Palekh, Landeh, Sezukh, Lukh, Lyulekh.

The belief told by local resident Felitsata Grigorievna Palikina about the origin of the name Palekh was preserved:
"... There were dense forests, there was no population... there was a big fire in the forest... from the "mologna". The fire burned all the trees on the mountain. And soon people showed up here - and from those who were looking for a free life, either from the Tatar raid, "They either fled from the boyar's yoke. They called the mountain Palenaya, or else Palikha, and they began to call the village Palekh."
There is also a legend - “Palekh arose in those violent years of deep antiquity, when countless Tatar hordes marched on Vladimir-Suzdal Rus'. The devastated population fled into the dense forests and swamps and took icons with them. The Tatars burned forests. “There was a great Palikha” - from here and the name Palekh came about.

The Masquerade

The fabulous world of fiction, poetry - the art of miniatures of the new Palekh. Its history as a decorative art begins after the October Revolution, when icon-painting workshops were closed, and artists in search of a livelihood scattered to different parts of the country. Some became painters, others became decorators of club scenes, many turned to agriculture and small crafts: they painted wooden dishes and toys. Most often, the paintings were rough copies of popular prints, peasant spinning wheels, or samples taken from the album “Ornament of All Countries and Peoples.”

In 1923, on the initiative of A.V. Bakushinsky, several experiments in painting wooden products using icon painting traditions were undertaken in Palekh. Boxes and plates on the themes of Russian songs by artists I.V. have been preserved. Markichev, I.M. Bakanova and “The Shepherd” by A.V. Kotukhin. During these same years, in Moscow, in the former icon-painting workshop of the Paleshan A.A. Glazunov, similar searches were carried out. But the master who worked there, the future famous artist I.I. Golikov chose papier-mâché to use the icon-painting technique.

Experiments by I.I. Golikov was supported by the Moscow Handicraft Museum; the first works signed by A.A. Glazunov's works were shown in 1923 at an exhibition of the State Academy of Art Sciences, where they received a 1st degree diploma. Soon, in addition to Golikov, other Palekh icon painters began working with Glazunov - I.P. Vakurov and A.V. Kotukhin. Then Kotukhin went to Palekh, where, from the summer of 1923, the best oldest masters, I.M. Bakanov and I.V. Markichev, were already working on papier-mâché with him.

For display at the All-Russian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition in 1923, Palekh masters I.M. Bakanov, I.I. Golikov (“Checkers Game”, “Village Party”, “Roosters”), A.V. Kotukhin and I.V. .Markichev completed works ordered by the Handicraft Museum of the All-Union Council of National Economy, for which they also received a 1st degree diploma. In 1924, Palekh artists enjoyed great success at an exhibition in Venice. Success has come. Soon the Palesans received an invitation from Italy to send four craftsmen to organize a school. The artists refused to leave their homeland.

On December 5, 1924, the “Artel of Ancient Painting” was organized in Palekh. Initially, it included seven people: I.I. Golikov, I.M. Bakanov, A.I. Zubkov, I.I. Zubkov, A.V. Kotukhin, V.V. Kotukhin, I.V. Markichev. Soon they were joined by D.N. Butorin, A.I. Vatagin and others. And already in 1925, the works of the Paleshans received recognition at the International Exhibition in Paris.

March 1935 - "Artel" was transformed into the "Association of Artists of Palekh" Chairman until 1938 - A.I. Zubkov.

1940 - "Partnership" is closed.

1943 - restored.

1954 - “Partnership” was transformed into Artistic and Production Workshops (PHPM). Director - A.G. Bakanov.

1954 - creation of the Palekh branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR. Chairman of the Board - G.M. Melnikov.

In 1989, the Palekh art and production workshops were closed.

The Couple

"Rapunzel"

"August"

"On The Volga River"

"Twelve Months"

"The Autumn Nocturne"

"The Golden Hair Lady"

"Cinderella"

"Ruslan & Ludmila"

"Warm Summer"

"Boldino Autumn (A. Puskin)"

"Happy Childhood"

"Autumn. The Holiday of The Last Sheaf"

"The Scarlet Flower"

INIn 1935, the "Artel of Ancient Painting" was transformed into the "Association of Artists of Palekh", the chairman of which until 1938 was A.I. Zubkov.

In 1940, the Partnership was closed and restored in 1943.

In 1954, the "Association of Artists of Palekh" was transformed into the Art and Production Workshops headed by A.G. Bakanov.

In 1954, the Palekh branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR was created. Chairman of the Board - G.M. Melnikov.

In 1989, the Palekh art and production workshops ceased to exist.

Currently, creative organizations operate in Palekh:

JSC "Partnership Palekh"
Chairman of the Board S.I. Kamanin,
Cooperative "Association of Palekh Artists"
Chairman of the Board A.V. Dudorov,
Small enterprise "Masters of Palekh"
director M.R. Belousov,
MP "Traditions of Palekh",
JSC "Palekh"
director A.M. Zubkov,
creative workshop of B.N. Kukuliev "Paleshane"