Palekh lacquer painting. Everything you need to know about Palekh. How icon painting began in Palekh

Palekh- a small village in the Ivanovo region, the first mention of which dates back to the beginning XVII century. And today it is the world’s most famous center of iconography and lacquer painting, which has no analogues in any corner of our planet. The works of Palekhov masters do not leave anyone indifferent,
who once saw them.

At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, Palekh saw the appearance of masters who painted holy images, painted temples and cathedrals, and restored ancient frescoes. The beginning of the 19th century saw the heyday of Palekh icon painting, which was in great demand not only in Russia, but also abroad. Peculiar, fine art Palekh lacquer miniatures combine the principles of ancient Russian painting and folk art.

If in some cities the creation of icons had an almost industrial spread, then in Palekh for many years The original writing of holy images was preserved, the writing of which was carried out by members of peasant families in their free time from agricultural work.

It was noteworthy that in the peasant families of icon painters there was a division of labor: the drawing was applied to the base by the “banner”, the clothes and chambers were painted by the “dolicnik”, and the faces by the “lichnik”. Palekh icons were created for a long time and meticulously; they were consistent with the canons of ancient models, so their value was high.

But by the end of the 19th century in Rus', the number of icon painters increased greatly, which caused a decrease in the cost and deterioration in the quality of icon painting, and the demand for Palekh icons sharply decreased due to the high cost.

And the revolution that took place in Russia in 1917 changed not only the entire structure of Russia but also the attitude towards the church. The production of icons became unclaimed and icon painters were left without work.

But the varnish pictorial miniature Palekha is a relatively young movement that emerged only about two centuries ago. The prerequisite for its emergence was that at the end of the 18th century, the Moscow merchant Korobov founded the production of lacquered visors for army caps. And when snuff came into fashion, he also began producing lacquer snuff boxes.

Over time, these boxes acquired a luxurious and rich appearance; they began to be used to decorate rooms. Using colorful colors and Russian folk themes, Palekh craftsmen used various themes from fairy tales, epics and legends in their work.

Upon completion civil war Palekh craftsmen resumed their craft, now making boxes, brooches, powder compacts and other items from papier-mâché. They depicted scenes from Russian folk tales, skits village life, and also used the work of Russian writers and poets.

Second world war also contributed her own subjects to Palekh painting - colorful military scenes. During Soviet times, Palekh was characterized by pathos, ideology, and monumentalism. And only years later the artists managed to return romance and sublimity, poetry and allegory.

To this day, lacquer miniatures differ bright colors on a black background, elongated figures, thin lines. Decorative landscapes and architecture, elegant gold ornaments framing the composition - all this makes Palekh painting unique.

Each of the master miniaturists has his own professional style. This painstaking work requires from them not only inspiration, but also great precision and accuracy, since all painting is done by hand, and very often a magnifying glass is required for this. Most of the miniatures are unique or produced in very small quantities.

One of beautiful views 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, artists from which 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 October Revolution 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 them decoration became taller. Subsequently, the works of Russian masters began to differ noticeably from Western samples both in execution technique and in plots that had a pronounced meaning. Thus, heroes and scenes from folk epics and legends of classical and ancient Russian literature, 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 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 a single Orthodox traditions, but at the same time had its 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 Old Believer communities of different Russian regions, and 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 mid-17th century 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 XVIII century Three main centers of icon painting remained: Kholui, Mstera and Palekh. The Paleshans, unlike the residents of the more industrialized Mstera and Kholuy, until the beginning of the 19th century, combined the practice of traditional agriculture with painting icons in free time from working in the field. 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. Until 1923, several attempts were made to adapt former icon painters to 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. Management was interested in this work 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, it was necessary new material- papier-mâché, the technology of which was not known to the Palaishan 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 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, both 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 classical literature, as well as to modern songs. At the same time, socially significant events, such as, for example, human flight into space, are also reflected in the works of masters.

The seventies and eighties of the XX century became the heyday Palekh painting. Palekh artists are invited to design decorations for various concert programs, decorative design of children's and cultural institutions.

Modernity

Having survived the difficult 90s, the Palesians did not abandon their traditional craft. Palekhskoe art school annually produces young masters who carefully preserve the traditions and features that make Palekh miniature so interesting. Today there are several artels and family businesses who 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.

From others public schools The Palekh style of lacquer painting is distinguished by 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, smeared 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 various shapes and size. 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 polishing it outer surface apply several layers of black varnish, and on the inside - oil varnish with cinnabar. 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 distinctive features lacquer miniatures of Palekh painting are characterized by 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 miniature is a type of folk Russian miniature painting with tempera on lacquer items made of papier-mâché (boxes, caskets, cigarette cases, etc.). It arose in 1918 in the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region on the basis of icon painting.

Cigarette case “Battle”, 1930 Golikov Ivan Ivanovich (1886 - 1937) Wood, tempera, gold, silver, varnish. 16.2 x 24.7 x 3.2

Palekh miniatures are characterized by everyday, literary, folklore, historical subjects, bright local colors on a black background, thin smooth designs, an abundance of gilding, and graceful elongated figures.

Box “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”, 1934 Bakanov Ivan Mikhailovich (1870 - 1936). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 19.7 x 26.9 x 4.5

From the history of folk crafts

Since pre-Petrine times, Palekh was famous for its icon painters, and Palekh icon painting reached its greatest flourishing in the 18th - early XIX century. The local style developed under the influence of the Novgorod, Moscow, Stroganov and Yaroslavl schools of icon painting.

Plate “And throws her overboard...”, 1929. Bakanov Ivan Mikhailovich. Porcelain, ceramic paints. 22.7 x 35

In addition to icon painting, Palekh masters were engaged in monumental painting; they participated in the painting and restoration of churches and cathedrals, including the Faceted Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin, churches of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and the Novodevichy Convent.

Box “Crane and Heron” Box, 1941 Bazhenov Pavel Dmitrievich (1904 - 1941) Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 9 x 17 x 4.5

After the revolution of 1917, icon painting in Palekh ceased to exist. And artists were forced to look for new forms to realize their creative potential.

Plate “Flourish, collective farm land”, 1955. Kovalev Alexey Viktorovich (1915 - 2000). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. D - 32. h - 2.5

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

Cover of the casket “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”, 1956. Kotukhina Anna Aleksandrovna. Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 11.5 x 19

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. In 1918, artists created the Palekh artistic decorative artel, which was engaged in painting on wood.

Plate “Palekh” Chikurin Alexander Vasilievich (1875 - 1965). Papier-mâché. tempera, gold.

As a result of long creative searches, former icon painters showed the world paintings on papier-mâché boxes, painted with a rainbow of colors and golden patterns. At the same time, the masters did not abandon the usual technique of painting with egg paints using created gold.

Box “Chichikov at Korobochka”, 1936 Salabanov Vasily Mikhailovich (1902 - 1941). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 19.6 x 26.7 x 4.4

Also, medieval techniques of stylization and conventional forms were still used in the figurative solution of new works. At the same time, the most popular and most successful compositions of the first years of the existence of Palekh miniatures were “troikas,” “hunts,” “battles,” “couples,” “shepherdesses,” “partying” and “idyls.”

Box “Chapaev”, 1955 Zaitsev Alexander Vasilievich (1918 - 2001). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, aluminum, varnish. 6.2 x 8 x 4

These works, as a rule, had neither a developed plot nor bright image, but the ornamental principle was strongly expressed. Spontaneity, sincerity and poetry gave charm and warmth to the first works of the Paleshans.

Casket “The Tale of Ivan Tsarevich and gray wolf", 1984 Buldakov Valery Vasilievich born 1951

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.

Casket “Wedding”, Casket 1994 Lopatina Nina Pavlovna born 1948 Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 9.5 x 14.5 x 9.5

On December 5, 1924, the “Artel of Ancient Painting” was organized in Palekh to paint papier-mâché products. Its founders were seven artists: I.I. Golikov, I.M. Bakanov, A.V. Kotukhin, V.V. Kotukhin, I.V. Markichev, I.I. Zubkov, A.I. Zubkov. Later they were joined by artists Ivan Vakurov, Dmitry Butorin and Nikolai Zinoviev. Already in 1925, Palekh miniatures were exhibited at the World Exhibition in Paris.

Plate “Song”, 1979 Valentin Mikhailovich Khodov 1942 - 1988 Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. D - 26, h - 2.5

In 1928, a vocational school of ancient painting was opened in Palekh, training in which lasted four years. In 1935, the school was transformed into an art technical school, and in 1936 the technical school became part of the system of the All-Union Committee for Arts and began to be called a school (Palekh Art School named after A. M. Gorky), where training lasted five years. (By the way, in the 2000s, the duration of training was reduced to four years).

Box “Faust”, 1957 Golikov N.I. Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish.

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

Plate “Rider on a White Horse”, 1984 Ermolaev Boris Mikhailovich (1934 - 2001). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. D - 23.5, h - 2.5

Without a doubt that one of the brightest and talented artists Palekh was Ivan Ivanovich Golikov. He was called the master of the horse, battle and three. The fabulous horses with fragile legs in Golikov’s miniatures are colored with all the colors of the rainbow, and “battles” and “hunts” are a manifestation of the indomitable imagination of the Palekh artist.

Box “Russian Linen”, 1974 Kukulieva Kaleria Vasilievna born 1937 Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 19.7 x 26 x 8

Golikov’s “troikas” are dynamic, impetuous, and often stately and solemn. I.I. Golikov turned to this motif many times, drawing summer and winter threes on a variety of objects: brooches, powder boxes, cigarette cases, trays, etc.

Box “Nastya”, 1994 Shanitsyna Ekaterina Fedorovna (b. 1947). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 9.5 x 12 x 3

I.M. was also considered one of the best experts in icon painting traditions. Bakanov. He flawlessly mastered the original technique of applying paint layers. Thanks to the transmission of the lower layers of paint through the upper layers, thin and transparent, the effect of an internal glow of the painting is created, the effect of the flow of one tone into another.

Box “Merchant Kalashnikov”, 1972, Vyacheslav Fedorovich Morokin (b. 1945).

Bakanov created many wonderful works that have become classics of Palekh art. He also addressed song themes such as “Stepan Razin”, “On the Pavement Street”. The best works of the master are written on topics Pushkin's works- “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”, “From the Threshold of My Hut”, “Bakhchisarai Fountain”.

Box “Winter” 1993 Ivanova A.N.

Ivan Ivanovich Zubkov was a keen connoisseur of his native rural nature. There is no developed action in his miniatures; the artist seems to be contemplating nature. The figures have smooth, somewhat slow rhythms of movement, which gives a feeling of peace and quiet.

Box “Chelubey’s fight with Peresvet”, 1945. Chalunin Pavel Fedorovich (1918 - 1980). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 18 x 23 x 7

Artistic thinking I.I. Zubkov was pictorial and plastic, and not ornamental and decorative. 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”, “Landscape”.

Box “The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”, 1992 Kochetov Gennady Nikolaevich (born 1941). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 20 x 26.5 x 5.5

Early romantic works A.M. Gorky, built on a song rhythm, are close and consonant with the style of Palekh miniatures. Illustrating them, the Palesians knew practically no failures. Among best works– box I.P. Vakurov "Petrel".

Cigarette case “Guidon”, 1999. Lyubimov Gleb Vasilievich (born 1945). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 12.5 x 10 x 2.5

The red silhouette of a worker with a hammer seems to grow from a block of stone. “I wanted this person to be like a worker and a writer and a builder, and so that he could wisely govern the state,” this is how I.P. explained his plan. Vakurov in E. Vikhrev’s book “Paleshans”. In this miniature, as in other dramatic compositions by Vakurov great value has a black background. The artist leaves large planes of the background unrecorded, linking them with intense-sounding patches of color.

Cover of the casket “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, 1934 Kotukhin Alexander Vasilyevich (1886 - 1961) Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, aluminum, varnish. 21 x 27.2

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 special interpretation landscape, abundant application of gold in the ornaments and spaces.

The best miniatures by A.A. Dydykina: “You, Vanya, have gone crazy”, “Demyanov’s ear”, “Emancipation of a woman”, “Russian Volga River” - are in the collection of the GMPI.

Powder box “Guslyar”, 1932. Alexey Ivanovich Vatagin (1881 - 1947). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, aluminum, varnish. D-11, h-2.6

The miniature “You, Vanya, have gone crazy” was written on the theme of an old Russian song. In the center of the composition is a crying girl, accompanying her fiance to the city. Her drooping figure from grief is echoed by the bowed trees and softly outlined hills, conveying the smoothness and melodiousness of the Russian melody.

Party in the village. Cigarette case. 1927 Zinoviev Nikolai Mikhailovich (1888 - 1979). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 7.5 x 11 x 2,

In the art of Palekh lacquer miniatures, portraiture develops as an independent genre. The founders of this genre were former personal icon painters: N.A. Pravdin, I.F. Palikin, I.G. Serebryakov. Portraits were created on various papier-mâché objects: plates, boxes, brooches, cigarette cases. Palekh artists paint portraits of statesmen, historical figures and their contemporaries.

Box “Hunting” 1989 Gribov Nikolay Borisovich (b. 1948) Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 3 x 9 x 3

In the middle of the 20th century, realistic tendencies intensified in the art of Palekh, expressed by the desire of many artists for external verisimilitude in revealing the plot and individual images. Many compositions of those years are characterized by pomp, excessive monumentality and decoration.

Box “Volga - Russian River”, 1943 Dydykin Aristarkh Alexandrovich (1874 - 1954) Papier-mâché. tempera, gold, aluminum, varnish. 23.2 x 18.5 x 8.5

The following generations of miniaturists sought to revive the traditions created by the founders of Palekh miniatures. The art of lacquer miniatures has not exhausted itself; it has enormous potential.

Box “There is a cliff on the Volga”, 1935 Alexey Ivanovich Vatagin (1881 - 1947). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, aluminum, varnish. 22 x 15.5 x 4

Palekh artists show their talent in many forms fine arts: monumental painting, book graphics, theatrical scenery.

Plate “At the Spring” 1992 Livanova Irina Vadimovna (b. 1937). Zotov Vadim Grigorievich (b. 1936). Papier-mâché, tempera, gold, varnish. 40.5 x 39

Currently, about 600 artists live and work in Palekh; every tenth resident of Palekh is a graduate of the Palekh Art School. 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.

“The Tale of the Little Humpbacked Horse” Nikolai Zinoviev Vase “Collective farm abundance”, 1952 Zubkova Tamara Ivanovna. Porcelain, ceramic paints

Palekh or Palekh miniature is one of the traditional Russian artistic crafts, a type of lacquer painting.

Folk craft, developed in the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region, are lacquer miniatures in tempera on papier-mâché. Palekh is the center of icon painting in the traditions of Russian painting of the 15th-17th centuries.

The Palekh icon painting style developed under the influence of the Moscow, Novgorod, Stroganov and Yaroslavl icon painting schools. Palekh icons were famous for their particularly delicate writing with the use of gold on the clothes of saints and in ornaments. The painting of icons was divided into several stages, each of which was carried out by different masters: one primed the board, the second (the flag bearer) drew the outline of the future icon, the third painted the final part - the entire composition, except for the faces - they were painted by a personal artist. The names and texts were written by the master signer, and the dryer completed the work on the icon.

In the middle of the 19th century, several workshops operated in Palekh, the largest of which were the establishments of the Safonovs, Belousovs, Korovykins, and Parilovs.

After the revolution of 1917, Palekh icon painters faced the need to search for new forms of realizing their creative potential. In 1918, the craftsmen united into the Palekh artistic decorative artel, which produced painted wooden products. In 1923, they were presented at an art and industrial exhibition in Moscow and awarded a second degree diploma.

At the same time, the Palesians first became acquainted with a new material - papier-mâché, which for a century was the basis for Fedoskino lacquer miniatures. With the support of the famous art critic and native of Palekh, Anatoly Bakushinsky, the masters mastered the new material, transferring to it the technology of tempera painting traditional for ancient Russian icons and the conventional stylistics of the image.

In 1924, Palekh artists enjoyed great success at an exhibition in Venice. Soon the Palesans received an invitation from Italy to send four artists to organize a school, but the artists refused to leave their homeland.

The founding of the "Artel of Ancient Painting" is considered to be the birthday of Palekh art.

Initially, Artel included seven people: Ivan Golikov, Ivan Bakanov, Alexander and Ivan Zubkov, Alexander and Vladimir Kotukhin, Ivan Markichev. Soon they were joined by Dmitry Butorin, Alexey Vatagin and others. In 1925, the works of the Palesans received recognition at the International Exhibition in Paris.

In June 1932, more than 100 people worked at the Artel of Ancient Painting, including 48 masters and 20 candidate students.

In March 1935, the artel was transformed into the "Association of Artists of Palekh". It was closed in 1940 and restored in 1943.

In 1954, the “Partnership” was transformed into Art and Production Workshops (PHPM). In the same year, the Palekh branch of the Union of Artists of the RSFSR was created.

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

The style of Palekh painting is characterized by a thin and smooth pattern on a predominantly 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 red, yellow and green colors go back to the traditions of ancient Russian icon painting. The composition is usually framed with exquisite ornaments made of melted gold.

Palekh artists successfully worked in the field of theatrical and decorative art, book graphics, monumental painting, painting of porcelain, as well as restoration of monumental painting.

Currently working in Palekh creative organizations: JSC "Partnership Palekh", cooperative "Association of Artists of Palekh", Small Enterprise (MP) "Masters of Palekh", MP "Traditions of Palekh", Joint stock company closed type "Palekh", creative workshop "Paleshane".

Since 1926, apprenticeship has been revived at the Artel of Ancient Painting. At the turn of 1920-1930, a vocational school was opened, reorganized in 1935 into an art college, and from 1936 into the Palekh Art School named after M. Gorky.

Currently, the school provides training in the specialty “Decorative and applied arts and folk crafts” (lacquer miniature painting).

Was created State Museum Palekh art. Its collection includes more than 15.4 thousand items. It includes 1.5 thousand icons of the XIV-XX centuries, works Western European painting XVI-XVIII centuries, more than three thousand works of lacquer miniatures, sculpture, graphics, early printed books, stitched items, household items and ethnography.

There are four memorial museums in the structure of the State Museum of Palekh Art: House-Museum of P.D. Korina, Museum-Workshop N.V. Dydykina, House-Museum of I.I. Golikov, Museum-Estate of N.M. Zinoviev.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Pavel Bazhenov. Plate “Guarding the borders of the USSR.” 1935

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 - ancestor 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 - 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

Every master Palekh artel he used his favorite art in lacquer miniature, 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 Palekh XVIII style century; Ivan Zubkov - from the Fryazhian letter late XIX century. Stylistic features different iconographic 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.

Sergiev Posad State Historical and Art Museum-Reserve / palekh.narod.ru

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 - on the small surface of the icon board there were many finely painted compositions or images. 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.

State Museum of Palekh Art

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 XIX 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 the 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 Palekha from other centers of lacquer miniatures - Kholuy, Mstera and Fedoskina).

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

State Museum of Palekh Art