Story

Khokhloma is an ancient Russian folk craft, born in the 17th century in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

An old legend tells: once upon a time there lived a man in the Nizhny Novgorod forests, on the banks of a quiet river. We don’t know who he is or where he came from. The man carved wooden bowls and spoons and painted them so that they seemed to be made of pure gold. The king found out about this and became angry: “Why don’t I have such a master in my palace?! Give it to me! Immediately!" He tapped his staff, stamped his foot, and sent soldiers to take the craftsman to the palace. The soldiers set off to carry out the royal order, but no matter how much they searched, they could not find the master’s miracle. He went to God knows where, but first he taught local peasants how to make gold utensils. In every hut cups and spoons sparkled with gold.

"Golden Khokhloma" technology

First, they beat the thumbs, that is, they make rough wooden blanks. Then he removes excess wood with a cutter and gradually gives the workpiece the desired shape. This is how the base is obtained - “linen” (unpainted products) - carved ladles and spoons, supplies and cups.

The dishes are sharpened from raw wood, so they are dried first. Then the products are primed and coated with clay (vapa). After priming, the product is dried for 7-8 hours and must be manually coated with several layers of drying oil (linseed oil). During the day, the product is coated with drying oil 3-4 times. The next stage is “tinning”, that is, rubbing aluminum powder into the surface of the product. After tinning, the objects acquire a beautiful white-mirror shine and are ready for painting.

Oil paints are used in painting. The main colors that determine the character and recognition of Khokhloma painting are red and black (cinnabar and soot), but others are allowed to enliven the pattern - brown, light green, yellow, white. Painted items are coated with a special varnish 4-5 times and finally hardened for 3-4 hours in an oven at a temperature of +150... +160 °C until a golden-colored oil-varnish film is formed. This is how the famous “golden Khokhloma” is obtained.

Types of painting

The Khokhloma fishery reached its peak in the 18th century. At this time, two types of letters are formed: riding And background.

Horse painting was carried out with plastic strokes on the tinned surface of the dishes, creating a magnificent openwork pattern. At "saddle" In writing, the master applies a drawing with black or red paint to the background of the product. Here we can distinguish three types of ornament: "herbal" painting, painting "under the leaf" or "under the berry", painting "gingerbread".

For "background" The painting was characterized by the use of a black or red background, while the design itself remained golden. IN "background" writing there are two types of ornament: - painting "under the background" and painting "kudrina".

Gallery

Khokhloma - what is it? First of all, this is the ancient Khokhloma painting, golden Khokhloma, a vast layer of Russian culture. The symbol of painting in the Khokhloma style is a fiery character. The capital of the fishery is the city of Semenov, located north of Nizhny Novgorod. Unlike the Gzhel art production, which unites 27 villages into one “bush,” Khokhloma was concentrated in one place. Therefore, its development continued for quite a long time. The artistic component of the craft was also important, since talented craftsmen were not found often, and there was no training as such.

History of the Golden Khokhloma

The artistic craft of Khokhloma goes back to the end of the 17th century, during the rapid flowering of icon painting. The period of settlement of the Novgorod lands by Old Believers, who did not accept the church reform of Patriarch Nikon, coincided with the emergence of new methods of gilding icons. It was in the Nizhny Novgorod lands, villages and villages that they learned to paint icons with gold, but without the use of precious metal. The wooden frames of the icons were sprinkled with silver, ground into dust, then covered with a layer of linseed oil and placed in the oven. The silver coating miraculously turned into sparkling gold. The technologies of that time did not provide additional means to facilitate the process; everything was done manually. Some masters somehow adapted, came up with simple tools to help themselves, but in general, Khokhloma painting was completely achieved only by manual labor. The main tasks of production were turning work, which required certain qualifications. The blanks were turned by some craftsmen, primed and burned by others, and painted by still others. But in any case, the results of joint work were good and production flourished.

The Birth of High Art

This is how gold painting of Khokhloma appeared on the Volga. They quickly moved from icons to the production of wooden utensils covered with gold designs. Silver was in short supply and was replaced with tin. The drawings did not become worse; on the contrary, the painting acquired a noble matte shade, and after polishing the paints began to sparkle like the sun. Semyonovsky artists began to unite in artels, Khokhloma painting became widely known far beyond the borders. One after another, merchants came, ordered painted wooden dishes from the craftsmen in huge quantities, and the craft began to develop at a rapid pace.

At first, spoons and scoops were carved from linden and painted with Khokhloma patterns. Grateful descendants even erected a monument to Semyon the Spooner as a tribute to the craftsmen and artists of that time. Craftsmen worked tirelessly, brought Nizhny Novgorod dishes and successfully sold them at the great Makaryevsky market, the most famous Russian fair. The dishes also reached Moscow. In the capital of Russia at that time, foreign representatives of the merchant class, Germans, French, and English were constantly present. They immediately drew attention to the unusual Khokhloma goods.

Khokhloma - what is it from the point of view of the world community?

In the mid-19th century, Khokhloma painting on dishes, furniture and clothing became known abroad. The World Exhibition in Paris, held in 1889, opened the way for Golden Khokhloma throughout the world. Khokhloma painting was exported in large numbers. The markets of Western Europe, Southeast Asia, India, China, and later the North American continent traded in Russian handicrafts.

The high demand for products of Trans-Volga craftsmen became an incentive for the further development of Golden Khokhloma. The range of production increased many times over; in addition to spoons, dishes and plates, barrels, jars for spices, salt shakers, various accessories, glasses and mugs were produced. The so-called bratins were especially valued in the West - huge vessels in the shape of a boat with a dozen ladles. The name spoke for itself; this dish was intended for a fraternal feast. A festive theme has always accompanied Khokhloma products. And the inexhaustible source of plots and themes for them is all of Russia. Khokhloma is inextricably linked with both the source itself and its history.

Dishes and more

In addition to dishes, household items were produced in large series: boxes, snuff boxes, small furniture items, towers, cabinets, tables and benches. It was possible to order golden Khokhloma, it cost an order of magnitude more, but the price did not bother anyone. By the end of the 19th century, Khokhloma began to become more expensive, as its production became noticeably more complicated. There appeared those who continued the original traditions, but at the same time carried within themselves that special natural style of artistic writing that distinguishes Khokhloma. Pictures made in those distant times by enthusiastic artists, sketches and sketches confirm the development of new trends in the art of Khokhloma painting.

Khokhloma products became noticeably larger; they were painted in the “curls” manner, with golden leaves and flowers, in the style of a woman’s scarf, when the ornament consists of several fragments merging into one whole image. One of the most revered Khokhloma designs was the “grass letter”, and in the first half they created the “Khokhloma ornament”. This is how the classic style appeared. At the same time, the coloring of the drawing became even more complicated, the strokes became thinner, and the plot acquired signs of definiteness. The artistic style called "Khokhloma", pictures and sketches of which confirm this, continued its development. At the same time, Fedoskino miniatures similar to Khokhloma painting began to appear in central Russia. A little later, factories began to produce Gzhel ceramic dishes, which soon became as popular as Khokhloma wooden ones. Artistic Russian folk crafts have successfully developed; Gzhel, Khokhloma, Zhostovo, Fedoskino - this is not a complete list of crafts that can be compared with high art.

Technique

The art of Khokhloma is a rather complex process involving many technical subtleties. It is not enough to paint the product correctly - its shape and parameters must also be perfect. If the master decided to carve a brother in the form of a swan from wood and paint it in the style of golden Khokhloma, then first of all, the resulting shape should repeat all the grace of the noble bird, and its neck must certainly have a “swan” curve, as we see in nature.

Khokhloma - what is it from a technical point of view? Guided by the rule of authenticity of the product, its compliance with certain canons of a highly artistic level, the specialists of JSC Khokhloma Painting developed a formula for the quality of their products, which formed the basis for the production of Khokhloma products. Thus, all technological processes at the enterprise are subject not to market requirements that stimulate continuous production, but to the laws of the artistic market, oriented towards a buyer with taste. This management policy has already borne fruit; orders began to come not from souvenir shops, but from famous art salons and galleries.

The process of making artistic products in the Khokhloma style is a very complex technological chain. Only hardwood is used, with preference given to linden as the most plastic and responsive material. The material goes through a stage of natural drying in the open air for one year, then the logs and butts are dissolved into blanks, which are dried for another three months. After this, the wood is already suitable for machining on lathes. Selected pieces are used to make nesting dolls, large vases are turned from solid logs. Sapwood is suitable for spoons and ladles; it is quite easy to cut and does not crack.

The turned and cut blanks are called “linen”; before painting, this “linen” is dried again, already at a temperature of about 100 degrees. After this, the products are primed and again loaded into an oven heated to 120 degrees. Then the workpieces are sanded, chips and gouges on the surface are puttied and covered with a thin layer of drying oil. Shortly before complete drying, the workpiece is coated with aluminum powder and rubbed so that the entire surface is evenly covered. Next, silver-matte cups, spoons and saucers, vases and bowls are delivered to the artists for final finishing - Khokhloma artistic painting.

After painting, the products are varnished three times, with intermediate heating to 130 degrees. At the same time, the aluminum coating acquires a golden hue, and the product is ready for packaging and shipping.

Types of painting

In the 18th century, Khokhloma painting reached its culmination, the demand for artistic products was increasing, and Nizhny Novgorod masters at that time were already at the peak of their creativity. It was then that two main types of Golden Khokhloma painting emerged - “mountain” and “background”.

Khokhloma, the patterns of which were drawn in the manner of “horse” painting, is a drawing on a golden field, made with black and red paints. The artist draws an openwork pattern with thin strokes, following any one of the following styles:

• “Gingerbread” is a stylized image of the sun, enclosed in a geometric figure, square, rhombus or faceted circle. The method at first glance is simple, but you couldn’t take your eyes off the solar circle, framed by curlicue rays, so organically did the great luminary combine with the frames surrounding it.
• “Travnik” is a grass ornament, a pattern of sedge coastal or meadow grass.
• “Leaf, under a berry” - a painting with many leaves and berries, flowers and stems, intricately intertwined with each other.

In contrast to the “mountain”, Khokhloma, the patterns of which were applied in gold on a red or black base, was considered “background”. The most interesting type of background painting is “kudrina”, which consists of a stylized image of leaves and flowers. Repeating curly curls, turning into fancy patterns, flowers, foliage and all kinds of berries, garden and forest. This style of painting is also notable for its widespread use of contour strokes in the drawing, which advantageously highlight individual details.

Catalogs

Since the mid-20th century, Khokhloma painting began to be systematized, catalogs with the most interesting copies were printed, and the best were awarded a certificate. The works of master artists in the Khokhloma style, whose photos and sketches were published in the press, became participants in various competitions and exhibitions. The authors of artistic products received prizes and awards for their creativity. At such exhibitions, anyone could purchase a product made in an artistic manner called “Khokhloma”. A souvenir photograph with the master maker was taken right there. For a long time afterwards, the beautiful lacquered thing delighted its owner.

Khokhloma through the eyes of a child

In Soviet times, preschool institutions, kindergartens and even nurseries received furniture made in the style of Khokhloma painting. And although this artistic style has always been considered “adult”, the children sincerely rejoiced at every table painted by the artist. Of course, this was not handmade; the products were painted at a furniture factory using screen printing. But the impression of the high art of Khokhloma painting was present, and the children were happy about it. Their parents rejoiced along with the kids. Thus, children's Khokhloma was no worse than “adult” Khokhloma.

Topic for school essays

The training programs are varied. Khokhloma - what is it, from the teacher’s point of view? In schools in Moscow and the Moscow region, as well as in other Russian cities, the topic of Russian folk arts and crafts is included in educational programs, where the art of Khokhloma painting comes first. Its centuries-old history and worldwide fame provide students with the opportunity to express their personal opinions, put them on paper and receive a grade. This could be an entire essay on a topic or a short story. Khokhloma as an art continues to develop successfully; it is quite worthy of the attention of high school students. However, younger grades can also take part in debates.

Khokhloma in the song genre

Fine art is often combined with other categories of creativity. The art of Khokhloma painting is no exception. The song "Khokhloma" has long gained popularity. It is performed by singers, choirs and individual soloists. The melody is beautiful, the lyrics are also heartfelt, written from the heart. The song “Khokhloma” has repeatedly taken pride of place at competitions.

Made in black and red (and also, occasionally, green) on a golden background. When painting, it is not gold, but silver tin powder that is applied to the tree. After this, the product is coated with a special composition and processed three or four times in the oven, which achieves a unique honey-golden color, giving the light wooden utensils a massive effect.

Story

Everyone knows about Khokhloma painting. But no one knows the time and place of its occurrence. It is believed that this happened in the 17th century, on the left bank of the Volga in the villages of Bolshiye and Malye Bezleli, Mokushino, Shabashi, Glibino, Khryashi. The peasants turned, painted wooden utensils and took them for sale to the large trading village of Khokhloma (Nizhny Novgorod province), where there was a trade. This is where the name “Khokhloma painting”, or simply “Khokhloma” comes from.

There is also a legendary explanation for the appearance of Khokhloma painting. There was a wonderful icon painter Andrei Loskut. He fled from the capital, dissatisfied with the church innovations of Patriarch Nikon, and began in the wilderness of the Volga forests to paint wooden crafts and paint icons according to the old model. Patriarch Nikon found out about this and sent soldiers after the rebellious icon painter. Andrei refused to obey, burned himself in a hut, and before his death he bequeathed to people to preserve his skill. Andrei burst into sparks and crumbled. Since then, the bright colors of Khokhloma have been burning with a scarlet flame, sparkling with golden nuggets.

Centers

Currently, Khokhloma painting has two centers - the city of Semenov, where the Khokhloma Painting and Semenovskaya Painting factories are located, and the village of Semino, Koverninsky district, where the Khokhloma Artist enterprise operates, uniting craftsmen from the villages of the Koverninsky region: Semino, Kuligino, Novopokrovskoye etc. (the factory is located in Semino, there are branches in other villages).

Technology

How are products with Khokhloma painting created? First, they beat the bucket, that is, they make rough wooden blanks. Then the master stands at the lathe, removes excess wood with a cutter and gradually gives the workpiece the desired shape. This is how the base is obtained - “linen” (unpainted products) - carved ladles and spoons, supplies and cups.

See what “Khokhloma painting” is in other dictionaries:

Khokhloma painting- Khokhloma painting. O.P. Lushina. Cup. 1972. KHOKHLOM PAINTING, Russian folk art craft. Originated in the 17th century. Nowadays the factory “Khokhloma Artist” (village of Semino) and the production art association “Khokhloma Painting” in... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Russian folk art craft; arose in the 17th century. Nowadays the Khokhloma Artist Factory (village of Semino, Koverninsky District) and the Khokhloma Painting Production Association (Semyonov, Nizhny Novgorod Region). The name comes from s.... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Woodworking, Russian folk art craft. It arose in the second half of the 17th century. on the territory of the modern Koverninsky district of the Gorky region of the RSFSR; The name of the craft was given by the village of Khokhloma in the same region, a center for the sale of products... ... Art encyclopedia

Russian folk art craft; arose in the 17th century. Nowadays the factory “Khokhloma Artist” (village of Semino, Koverninsky district, Nizhny Novgorod region) and the production art association “Khokhloma Painting” (city of Semyonov, Nizhny Novgorod... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Woodworking, Russian folk art craft. It arose in the 2nd half of the 17th century. on the territory of the modern Koverninsky district of the Gorky region; The name of the fishery was given by the trade village. Khokhloma, the same region, is a sales center for chemical products. V… …

Khokhloma painting - … Spelling dictionary of the Russian language

Ornamental and subject compositions created by means of painting on various parts of architectural structures, as well as on products of decorative and applied art. An important area of ​​decorative painting is architectural painting... Art encyclopedia

Ornamental and subject compositions created by means of painting on various parts of architectural structures, as well as on products of decorative and applied art (See Decorative and applied art). An important part of R. d... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

signature, signature and visa- Question Which is correct: “signature, signature” or “visa”? Vi/for 1) official’s mark on the document; 2) permission to enter, exit or pass through the country, as well as a note in the passport as a sign of such permission. By/signature 1)… … Dictionary of difficulties of the Russian language

Russian hospitality, generosity and hospitality seem to be encoded in the very form of the dishes created using the Khokhloma painting technique. Bright and colorful Khokhloma is a painting whose patterns are familiar to everyone from early childhood; it seems that they were written down somewhere in the subcortex. You will read about how Khokhloma originated and how it lives today, what are the features of its design, what materials the master uses and what stages the product goes through in this article.

Origins of Khokhloma

Today, historians can say with great confidence that the plant that glorified Russia appeared in the 17th century on the left bank of the Volga. Villages that can be proud of the birth of the fishery are Mokushino, Glibino, as well as Khristchi, Bolshie and Malye Bezdeli and, finally, the village of Kovernino. Khokhloma was considered a trading village in this region, and the name of the place where the craftsmen of the surrounding area brought goods gave the name to the artistic movement itself.

The Volga region is a place rich in forests, therefore there were plenty of woodworking craftsmen here. Local craftsmen made durable and lightweight dishes from linden and aspen. But it was not the carved products that glorified the region; thanks to the Khokhloma design, the dishes (primarily it) began to gain popularity. As a result, it is this craft that is considered today, perhaps, the most artistically perfect example of painting of Russian folk art.

Bowl. Khokhloma. XIX century

There are 3 main colors in Khokhloma - gold, black and red. Red makes the gold color warmer and softer, black enhances the expressiveness of partner colors. Round surfaces without contours diffuse light, making the dishes simply eye-catching. The motifs of the painting are simple and poetic: just a floral and simple geometric pattern, but there is so much desire for beauty and a tender feeling for the nature of the native land. Each element of the painting is like a declaration of love for one’s land, like a celebration of beauty in the surrounding and everyday life, like a desire for beauty that smoothes out the difficult everyday life of peasants.

Modern Khokhloma

In Russia today there are two large centers of Khokhloma painting - the city of Semenov, in which there are two enterprises (“Semenovskaya painting”, “Khokhloma painting”), as well as the village of Semino in the Koverninsky district, and its enterprise “Khokhloma Artist”. The city of Semenov is considered the capital of the industry; more than a thousand people work at its enterprises, and several hundred of them are artists. They print traditional Khokhloma patterns on products, and the factory’s products are sold all over the world. Moreover, complete with certificates of conformity and hygienic certification.

Khokhloma ornament can be found everywhere: painted cars, household items, furniture, watches, keyboards, the reverse sides of coats and jackets, sneakers, phone cases, etc. The picture is bright, glorifying the people's love for their land, and at the same time it looks not modest in a peasant way, but luxurious, cheerful, rich.

Foreigners have a special passion for this artistic direction: and this is not surprising, it has the perfection of coloristic solutions, laconicism of form, and a pattern in which there is nothing superfluous, but which weaves its openwork over an ideal background. And, as foreigners themselves admit, for them Khokhloma is a touch of the richness of Russian culture, a hymn to beauty and love of life.

Features of the Khokhloma pattern

The cheerful structure of the painting is its asset and distinctive feature. And the golden color adds great solemnity to the patterns. What is unique is that folk craftsmen who did not have access to truly luxurious gold utensils made a skillful imitation of gold. Yes, such that it overshadowed many precious works. Any table with such dishes becomes elegant and solemn. Any food in such dishes looks more appetizing and festive.

What distinguishes Khokhloma:

• lack of strict geometry;
• background “highlighting”;
• laconic image, but without the effect of an empty background;
• high artistry - if individual motifs of other types of painting can be repeated by a child of 10-12 years old, then only a professional can handle Khokhloma;
• delicacy of the drawing.

There is Khokhloma painting, and there is “Khokhloma” painting. In the second case, the artist takes colors inherent to the direction, but uses a pattern that is not characteristic of it. And there is also “pseudo-khokhloma” - counterfeit products that do not have quality certificates, and possibly use unsafe materials. By the way, such products are a direct violation of copyright, therefore we recommend not to support third-party products with rubles that are not a brand and do not belong to the centers of Khokhloma painting in Russia.

Materials

The main material from which dishes and other products with characteristic images are made is linden. The wood must undergo careful preparation. The wood is dried in special warehouses, and this takes 3 years or more. Only such wood is suitable for work.

Painting tools:

• tampons– for varnishing and priming, you can use tampons from nylon stockings;
• stamps– they are made from hat felt or a raincoat mushroom, and are used to perform a large number of identical elements;
• brushes– squirrel brushes (sizes No. 1-6), for each paint the artist should have several brushes, they should be narrow, the bristles on the brush should be elastic and long (in water the brush should take on a teardrop shape and have a pointed tip).

Materials for work may include drying oil, linseed oil, turpentine, thinners, primer, putty, aluminum paste.

There are special requirements for paint; it must be mineral dyes with high heat resistance. Masters use ocher, light yellow crown, cinnabar, emerald green, chromium oxide, red lead, cadmium, Dutch soot, emerald green.

If you decide to get carried away with Khokhloma painting, without pretending to be canonic, then you can use gouache and acrylic paints. Gouache is made with the addition of white, after drying it brightens and becomes matte. Gouache is thicker and denser than acrylic, but it fades in the sun. Acrylic does not fade or spread; it lays on the surface more evenly than gouache. It’s difficult to say which is better; each type of paint has its own advantages and disadvantages.

It is easier for a child to work with gouache; an adult can try to create with more functional acrylic. But the latter costs an order of magnitude more, and you will have to buy paints individually, while gouache is sold in sets.

Types of Khokhloma drawings

The Khokhloma drawing is presented with top and background views. What distinguishes them is the principle of applying an image to a prepared surface.

Horse

This kind of Khokhloma is patterns applied to a ready-made background. Divided into several varieties.

Ornament options:

• grass- written in abrupt strokes, depicting exclusively a grass pattern (the melody of life, its simple flow in an openwork pattern, the very interweaving of life events);
• "under the berry"- looks like grass, but berries also appear in the floral design (fruits are the results of labor, long-awaited and desired);
• "gingerbread"- a geometric figure in the center, inscribed in a rhombus or square, complemented by a sun and a subtle plant motif (visualization of constant movement).

Artists copy basic designs, patterns and motifs, but true masters also come up with their own designs, without deviating from the canonicity of the image.

Background

The patterns are made on a plain background, black or red. The pattern itself is strictly gold in color.

The background image is:

• painting “to match the background”— the highest aerobatics of Khokhloma art, contours are applied to the wood, and then the space is painted over with a background color, the most difficult places are completed only after the background has been decorated;
• Kudrina– the plant motifs in it are especially ornate, the result is a floral carpet on a wooden product of unusual beauty, the image is applied with the finest brush.

The main, traditional Khokhloma pattern is floral. But a bird may also appear in the painting.

Image and symbolism of a bird in Khokhloma painting

The Firebird is a living image to which the masters of Khokhloma painting turned. The bird symbolizes warmth and light, and is a harbinger of harvest and wealth. The bird is a sacred sign for all Russian art; it occupies a special place in fairy tales and songs, in artists’ paintings and scenography.

The Khokhloma bird is bright and rich in its “decoration” - a lush tail and comb, rich colors, elegant shape. This is not a timid bird sitting on a tree branch, but the queen of the bird world, a living creature capable of fulfilling wishes, making predictions, and carrying special news.

Technological process

First, the product is turned from wood, then the “linen” is dried at room temperature for about two weeks. Next, Khokhloma craftsmen primed the dishes and coated them with clay (to create a waterproof layer).

The process of making Khokhloma dishes in stages:

1. The dried product must be soaked in linseed oil and wait for the clay layer to mix with the oil layer.
2. Next, the product is polished, sent to the oven and kept there for several hours.
3. The next stage is putty, the clay is mixed with drying oil, and this composition seals all the roughness and other defects of the wood.
4. The product is treated with drying oil, which creates an oil film on it. And this is done in 3 approaches.
5. Next, the master proceeds to tinning - coating with aluminum powder, which makes the work “silver”.
6. And only now can the finished product be painted using paints according to a pre-thought-out sketch.
7. And again a layer of drying oil and hardening in the oven, at this time “silver” becomes “gold”, and at this stage the dishes turn into a Khokhloma work of art.

This is what the process of creating Khokhloma products looked like during the heyday of the movement. Modern masters use more technologically advanced equipment, but technical innovations do not detract from the beauty of the work or deprive them of their traditional content. In the patterns of current products one can still find the same flaming rowan or strawberry, the same flowers and leaves intertwined in a single plant dance.

The video tells about the history and traditions of making Khokhloma.

You can start getting acquainted with folk crafts practically: try to draw Khokhloma motifs yourself. This trains not only the hand, but also the brain and intellect. It has been proven that such creativity calms and works as a psychological reboot.

Khokhloma is a whole world, with its own history and legends, traditions and immersion in creativity, which has been attracting more and more new admirers for several centuries.

In contact with

Khokhloma painting, Russian folk art. It arose in the 2nd half of the 17th century. on the territory of the modern Koverninsky district of the Gorky region; The name of the fishery was given by the trade village. Khokhloma of the same region is the center of sales of Khokhloma painting products in the 18th - early 20th centuries. Khokhloma painting is characterized by an original technique of painting wood in a golden color without the use of gold. Objects turned from wood (mainly dishes) were primed with a solution of clay, raw linseed oil and tin powder (in modern products - aluminum), on a layer of which a plant pattern was made in a free brush style of writing, then covered with linseed oil varnish (nowadays synthetic ) and hardened at high temperature in an oven. The typical color of Khokhloma painting is a combination of red and black with gold. The most common types of painting are “top” (red and black on a golden background) and “under the background” (golden silhouette pattern on a colored background).

According to archaeological excavations, in the Volga region they were engaged in the manufacture of wooden utensils. Wood was the most convenient and affordable material for creating household items. Agile shuttles called “botniks” were hollowed out of tree trunks, figured ladles were carved, decorating their handles with carved silhouettes of horses, and various shapes of dishes were turned.

Everyone who settled in these places had to engage in crafts. The lands here were infertile, and there was not enough harvest until spring. Only forest wealth and nimble hands saved them from hunger and want. The proximity of the great Volga route contributed to the fact that wooden utensils began to be produced here early for sale.

However, the first tableware industries of the Trans-Volga region were still no different from the many similar industries that developed on the territory of our country. As in other areas, local craftsmen coated products with linseed oil or drying oil prepared from it. This gave strength to wooden utensils and made them more beautiful. This method of varnishing the surface of wood has not been forgotten even now. Until recently, it was used in the production of the cheapest cups and salt shakers, which served as everyday household items.

When did the art of golden Khokhloma arise? Probably, the masters of the Volga region began to paint dishes long before they mastered the technique of “golden” painting. Back in the 19th century, along with “gilded” wooden utensils, cheap cups and salt shakers were also made here, the surface of which was decorated only with the simplest geometric patterns - rosettes, diamonds, spiral curls and wavy lines applied with a stamp or brush.

Most likely, the time of the emergence of the art of Khokhloma painting was the second half of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th centuries, when the dense Kerzhen forests became a place of settlement for Old Believers fleeing persecution from the tsarist government and church authorities. After church reforms, opponents of Patriarch Nikon sought refuge here, forced to leave Moscow and the largest Russian cities. Participants in the Solovetsky Old Believer revolt also fled here to escape the massacre.

Among the schismatic settlers were icon painters and masters of hand-painted miniatures. On a dark red background among the greenery, golden stems and petals shine, made in the same icon-painting technique of gilding wood, which is close to Khokhloma.

Along with the painting technique, ornamental designs known to icon painters also penetrated into Khokhloma. The origins of the main types of craft ornament can be seen in Russian decorative art of the 17th - early 18th centuries. At this time, floral ornament became especially widespread, and the techniques for its execution were varied. When painting walls, furniture and household items, herbal designs were often made, applied freely with a brush. The drawing of flowers and leaves was completed with rich strokes of white - revival. This ornament, associated with the painting traditions of ancient Rus', served as the basis for the formation of Khokhloma grass patterns. Khokhloma painting also reflected graphic patterns with clear linear contours and elaboration of details with strokes. They contributed to the appearance of drawings using the “background” technique. The motifs of “curls” were suggested by drawings with curls that decorated the headpieces of manuscripts. Many features of Khokhloma paintings were the result of the fusion of two traditional lines of Russian decorative art, one of which went back to the ornamentation of icon painting and hand-painted miniatures, and the other to the crafts of ancient Rus'. In each of them, folk national characteristics of the understanding of ornament were manifested in their own way, each of them had professionally established techniques.

On the basis of this heritage, a new art is being formed in Khokhloma, connected in its future destinies with the design of everyday objects. The floral patterns brought to Khokhloma by icon painters are undergoing significant changes. It becomes much more concise and clear. The nature of his composition was greatly influenced by the traditions of ancient geometric patterns, distinguished by classically simple and perfect techniques for constructing patterns.

In the art of Khokhloma ornamentation, the features characteristic of folk decorative art are established: great figurative expressiveness of painting, decorativeness, extreme severity and parsimony of artistic means. They were most clearly manifested in the herbal patterns that predominated in the painting of dishes. While mastering new techniques of ornamentation, the craftsmen preserved earlier traditions of decorating tableware.

The first half of the 19th century was associated with great changes in the art of Khokhloma painting. At this time, instead of silver, craftsmen learned to use cheap tin, turning it into a powder convenient for applying to the surface of wood. A new period has begun in the history of fishing. Now the craftsmen could almost completely paint the walls of the bowls, cups, salt licks, and supplies in a golden color. Drawings of Khokhloma grass, which made it possible to use the “golden” coloring most effectively, received even greater development at this time. Khokhloma masters comprehend the laws of painting on a golden background. Its ornamentation finally establishes the techniques of planar silhouette interpretation of motifs, which are most consistent with painting on a golden background. In the painting, the whitewashing, which created the impression of a three-dimensional form, disappears. The color range is limited. If earlier craftsmen used white, blue, light blue, pink, green and brown paints, now the main colors of the ornament are red, black and gold.

You often hear that craftsmen used red and black paints only because they do not fade in the oven when hardened. This is only partly true. Brown, green and yellow paints also do not change color at high temperatures, but their use becomes very limited. Artists preferred the combination of red, black and gold, primarily due to its special decorative qualities. This color scheme was also appreciated by the masters of ancient Rus'. But there was another reason. The golden color the masters produced was inferior in brightness to the color of gold and did not have the desired shade of warmth. The craftsmen tried to make this drawback as less noticeable as possible by painting with red and black paint, which created a sonorous color chord with the golden background. The fiery bright cinnabar gave great warmth to the golden background, and the black paint made it appear lighter and brighter.

The execution of the ornament on a golden background led to the establishment of a type of composition characteristic of herbal painting with an openwork pattern covering a significant part of the surface of the item. It was unprofitable to expose the fake gold background with large areas of a smooth surface. Noticing this, the masters began to create designs in which the background only shone through the pattern and in the spaces between the motifs. The limitation of the colorful range of the grass ornament, the refusal to animate with whitewash and the flat silhouette interpretation of the motifs, it seemed, should have contributed to the loss of the qualities of picturesqueness. However, this does not happen. Khokhloma grass is perceived by us as a pictorial, rather than graphic, ornament due to the fact that the basis of its composition remains rhythmically arranged color spots. The picturesqueness of the grass patterns is also given by the softness of the tonal relationships, which is achieved by combining motifs in the ornament, written with a broad stroke, and introducing a small grass note, executed with a light touch of the brush.

For the formation of the Khokhloma ornament, its execution freehand with a brush was of great importance. Now that the masters have moved on to working on wide surfaces of a golden background, the tendency towards breadth of writing, characteristic of the temperament of Russian leaf ornament, could become even more pronounced. A bold brush stroke becomes one of the main elements of the grass pattern. By variously combining elongated strokes of red and black paint, large and small, rich body and light, the masters created motifs of grass, flowers, bushes and trees with lush curly foliage. The design was complemented by a motif of berries and flowers, applied using a poke, swab or soft porous sponge. The lightness and ease of the master’s ornamental style become a criterion for the artistic merits of the work. Carrying out painting by hand with a brush developed the habit of freely varying the ornament among the masters. The features of herbal patterns were also influenced by the shapes of turned wooden utensils. Craftsmen were looking for decoration techniques that were economical in terms of labor costs and provided the greatest artistic effect. In the process of their work, for each type of product in Khokhloma, standard painting compositions were found that most corresponded to the nature of their shape and size. Let's talk about some of them.

On large cups and dishes, craftsmen often performed one of the types of herbal ornaments - “sedge”. This is a drawing of stems and elongated leaves of grass, as if bent by a gust of wind. “Sedges” were located on the sides of cups and dishes, framing a rosette with a “gingerbread”. The dynamic rhythm of stems and herbs on the concave spherical surface of the bowl was especially noticeable thanks to the static “gingerbread” pattern. The “sedge” drawings showed the masters’ love for nature. Many craftsmen talk about them as the most favorite types of grass ornaments in the industry. “We always willingly performed it,” recalls the oldest craftswoman A.N. Tyukalova. “There is a lot of space in this drawing, and the cup is not stained and is very rich.” The craftswoman’s terse and pointed words contain the people’s understanding of the beauty of the ornament. The feeling of spaciousness that delights us in nature is achieved in the “sedge” patterns thanks to the free placement of motifs on the golden background of the high sloping walls of the dishes. The golden background shining through the openwork pattern of leaves and branches of the “sedge” gives the painting a festive and rich look.

Only in the second half of the 19th century, in connection with the development of furniture production in Khokhloma, the technique of painting “under the background” became more widespread. Ornaments with golden flowers and birds on a black background, especially often performed on children's tables and chairs, attract attention with the beauty of the pattern applied with free brush movements. As in herbal drawings, painting “under the background” has its own clearly developed techniques of ornamental cursive writing. The compositions become stricter, more laconic and at the same time more emotionally expressive.

The techniques for executing the “curls” ornament are less labor-intensive than painting “under the background.” Since the middle of the 19th century, they were already widely owned by many Khokhloma masters. “Kudrina” drawings were written on cups and large “artel” dishes.

In the second half of the 19th century, quite a few types of products were created in Khokhloma. Here they made large flat dishes, up to a meter in diameter, known as artel or burlatsky dishes, cups and plates of various sizes, suppliers, salt shakers, kandeykas, flour scoops and other products. At this time, the craft was a grandiose handicraft production of painted dishes. There was a clear division of labor between the residents of different villages.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, difficult times came for Khokhloma. The demand for wooden painted dishes began to decline rapidly, gradually being increasingly replaced by factory products. The importance of fishing as a supplier of items for everyday peasant use was declining. The difficult situation in folk crafts forced the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo to take emergency measures. It paid special attention to Khokhloma. Artists were sent there to try to adapt her products to the tastes of urban buyers. At this time, a deep interest in the monuments of Russian antiquity arose among the Russian intelligentsia. They are beginning to be studied and collected. This also brings popularity to handicrafts. To ensure the sale of Khokhloma products, artists began to make “antique” samples for her.

This is how ladles appeared in the industry, bizarre in shape, reminiscent of snakes and dragons, chairs and sofas with horse heads, bulky tables and sideboards with heavy lathe legs, boxes for needlework, similar to cast iron weights. When decorating these products, the motifs of painting “to match the background” and “curls” were distorted. An ornament of “Slavic script” appeared - an unsuccessful imitation of the designs of ancient handwritten headpieces. It was characterized by dry, stylized forms and rough, motley coloring. It was impossible to paint it using the techniques usual for Khokhloma, so stencils appeared in the work of the masters. Herbal painting at this time was performed only in those workshops where they continued to paint cheap cups and dishes for the rural market. “Weed” receives a disparaging name for simple coloring or “peasant” designs. For grass painting they paid half the price.

The folk art of crafts has not died and to this day, you can often see a huge number of products painted under Khokhloma, pleasing our eyes with their golden ornaments.