Traditional Khokhloma painting Automatic translate

Khokhloma painting is an ancient Russian folk art that originated in the 17th century in the Volga villages of the Nizhny Novgorod province. It got its name from the large trading village of Khokhloma, where finished products were brought for sale. Bright, original, recognizable throughout the world, Khokhloma painting has become a true symbol of Russian decorative and applied art. The magic of combining red, black and gold colors, smooth lines of plant ornament, technological secrets of applying gilding without using precious metal - all this makes Khokhloma a truly unique cultural phenomenon.

The history of the Khokhloma craft

Khokhloma painting appeared in the 17th century in the forested Trans-Volga region. According to historical data, the craft originated in the villages of Bolshiye and Malye Bezdelya, Mokushino, Shabashi, Glibino, Khryashchi, located on the left bank of the Volga in the Koverninsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Khokhloma flourished in the 18th century, and it gained fame thanks to the village of Khokhloma, which became the center for selling products.

There are several versions of the origin of this bright craft. According to one of them, golden Khokhloma originated thanks to the Old Believers, who, fleeing persecution for the "old faith", settled in the remote and hard-to-reach forests of the Trans-Volga region. Among the Old Believers were icon painters and masters of book miniatures, who mastered fine pictorial brush writing. The local population had excellent turning skills and were skilled in making wooden utensils. At the junction of these two traditions, the original art of Khokhloma was born, where the skill of wood carving was combined with virtuoso painting.

According to another version, Nizhny Novgorod artisans had already learned to imitate gilding on wood in the 1640s and 1650s, even before the Old Believers arrived in these lands. This method of decoration probably preceded Khokhloma. However, the expensive tin powder, originally used to create the gilding effect, was not available to everyone, so the craft developed slowly, and the main customers were monasteries.

The development of the Khokhloma craft was facilitated by the abundance of forests in the Trans-Volga region and the proximity to the Volga, the most important trade route. Finished products were sent to fairs, where they quickly found their connoisseurs. Brightly painted dishes were in demand not only in Rus’, but also beyond its borders - in Persia, India, Central Asia, Europe.

Technology of manufacturing Khokhloma products

Khokhloma painting is distinguished by a complex multi-stage manufacturing technology, the secrets of which were passed down from generation to generation. The entire process of creating unique gilded items without the use of gold can be divided into several important stages.

Preparation of material

The process begins with careful selection of wood. Traditionally, craftsmen use deciduous wood - linden, aspen or birch. The prepared wood is stacked and left in conditions of natural air circulation for a long time, sometimes up to a year. This is necessary to achieve optimal moisture content of the material.

After preparing the raw material, the turner or carver makes the necessary forms from wood - bowls, spoons, ladles, holders and other objects. These items are called "linen" and are the basis for future painting.

Primer and drying oil

The finished "linen" is primed with liquid purified clay, which is called "vapa". After priming, the product is carefully dried and then covered with several layers of drying oil - boiled linseed oil. This operation requires special skill and precision. The craftsman dips a special tampon made of sheepskin or calfskin, turned inside out, into a bowl of drying oil and quickly rubs the drying oil into the surface of the product, turning it so that the oil is distributed evenly.

During the day, the product is covered with drying oil 3-4 times. The last layer dries to the state of "slightly tacky" - when the drying oil slightly sticks to the finger, but does not stain it. This stage is critically important for the quality and durability of the future painting.

Tinning

The next stage of the technology is "tinning", that is, rubbing aluminum powder into the surface of the product (tin was used in the past, hence the name of the process). For this, a special device is used - a "doll", which is a leather tampon with fur on the working side. After tinning, the items acquire a beautiful silvery shine and are ready for painting.

Painting

Traditionally, oil paints based on natural dyes are used in painting – soot, crown, cinnabar, ochre. The main colors of Khokhloma are red and black, but brown, green and yellow tones are also used to enliven the pattern. The paints are prepared directly at the factory according to ancient recipes passed down from generation to generation.

Brushes for painting are made from squirrel tails, they are made by the artists themselves. The peculiarity of such brushes is that they can draw a very thin line.

Securing the painting

After painting, the product is covered with a special varnish and subjected to heat treatment - "hardening". Under the influence of high temperature, the silver layer under the transparent layer of varnish acquires a golden hue. This is how the famous "Khokhloma gold" is born, striking in its shine and beauty without the use of precious metal.

Thanks to repeated high-temperature processing, Khokhloma products become strong, durable and safe for everyday use.

The main types of Khokhloma painting

Traditional Khokhloma painting has developed over the centuries, and during this time, stable types of ornamental compositions and characteristic painting techniques have been formed. The basis is made up of two main types of painting - "top" and "background".

Horse painting

Top painting involves applying a pattern directly to the golden background of the product in red and black colors. This type of painting includes several types of ornament.

"Grass" is the most ancient type of Khokhloma painting, which is an image of herbaceous plants using abrupt brushstrokes reminiscent of sedge, white grass, and meadow grass. The artist applies thin curved lines, creating a whimsical ligature of herbs, complementing it with small berries or ears of corn on a silver background.

The "leaf" or "berry" painting differs from the "grass" painting by large brushstrokes that form the shapes of oval leaves and round berries. The basis of such painting is pointed or round leaves, connected by three or five, and berries, located in groups near a flexible stem. In comparison with the "grass" painting, it is more multi-colored - the leaves can be green or combine brown and yellow colors.

"Pryanik" is a unique type of top-hand writing, when a geometric figure (square or rhombus) is created inside a cup or dish, decorated with grass, berries, flowers. This pattern got its name due to its similarity to the baking molds for gingerbread - "gingerbread boards".

Background painting

Background painting is a more complex technique, when the pattern is made on a single-color background - black or red. The ornament itself is golden. There are two main types of background painting.

"Painting under the background" begins with drawing the contours of the future drawing of the stem with leaves and flowers, sometimes with images of birds or fish. Then the background is painted with black or red paint, leaving untouched the parts of the drawing that should be golden. After hardening in the oven, a golden pattern appears on a colored background. This type is considered the most difficult in Khokhloma painting.

"Kudrina" is a special type of painting, which received its name due to the special ornateness, "curlyness" of the plant motifs. The golden pattern, reminiscent of curly curls, creates bizarre shapes of flowers and leaves on a black or red background. Unlike other types of Khokhloma painting, in Kudrina the contour lines that form the shape of each curl are especially important. The result resembles a luxurious colored carpet with golden patterns.

Secrets of the Khokhloma artists’ craftsmanship

Creating Khokhloma painting requires not only artistic talent, but also mastery of special technical methods that masters hone over the years. These secrets are passed down from generation to generation, enriching the traditions of the craft.

Special techniques for holding the brush

One of the main secrets of mastery is a special technique of holding the brush. In the process of writing, not only the fingers are involved, but the entire hand, thanks to which it is possible to make long, flexible strokes and series of strokes on spherical or cylindrical surfaces with one continuous, unbroken movement.

Brushes for Khokhloma painting are made from squirrel tails and have special properties. Before use, the master carefully sorts out the purchased brush, removing all hard, broken hairs. Each artist treats his tool with special trepidation, because the beauty and accuracy of the lines depend on the quality of the brush.

Work on weight

Another important technique is working "on weight". The craftsman rests a small turned object on his knee, holding it with his left hand, and applies an ornament to its rounded surface with his right hand. This method of holding the painted object allows you to easily turn it in any direction with the desired tilt, which provides convenience when applying complex patterns to three-dimensional surfaces.

Using a stencil

When creating some elements of the painting, the artist can use a stencil made of felt or a porous sponge. Having dipped it in red or black paint, the artist applies spirals, diamonds, circles, creating a certain rhythm of the drawing. The gaps between the elements are filled with light strokes, harmoniously filling the space.

Creating a color scheme

A feature of Khokhloma painting is a limited but very expressive color range. Increased requirements are imposed on paints, since many of them can fade from high temperatures during drying and hardening. Craftsmen use heat-resistant mineral paints: ochre, red lead, cinnabar and carmine, soot, chrome green.

The dyes are ground and the paint is prepared directly at the factory, using the recipes received from previous generations. This approach ensures the preservation of the traditional brightness and saturation of the Khokhloma colors.

Ornamental motifs of Khokhloma painting

Khokhloma painting is famous for its characteristic ornamental motifs, which were formed within the craft and became its calling card. The basis of Khokhloma patterns are plant elements, often supplemented by images of birds, fish and animals.

Plant motifs

The main motif of Khokhloma painting is "grass" - an image of flexible stems, grasses, leaves and flowers. Smooth, flexible lines create the impression of movement, as if the plants are swaying in a light breeze.

Among the favorite plant elements of Khokhloma painting are rowan berries, currants, gooseberries, cranberries, strawberries; grape leaves, strawberries; chamomile flowers, bellflowers. These natural motifs are stylized and transformed by the imagination of the masters into decorative patterns, which, however, retain the recognizability of their natural prototypes.

Animalistic motives

In addition to plant motifs, Khokhloma painting often features images of birds, fish and animals. As a rule, they are inscribed into the overall plant composition and form a single artistic whole with it. Birds are masterfully woven into a pattern of grasses and flowers, fish “swim” among seaweed, and animals hide in the thickets.

Animalistic motifs in Khokhloma are also stylized and decorative. They do not strive for realism, but convey the characteristic features of animals, their grace and plasticity.

Compositional construction

Khokhloma painting is distinguished by a well-thought-out compositional construction of the pattern. Usually the composition develops from the center to the edges of the product or from the edge to the center. At the bottom of bowls and dishes there is often a large central motif, from which branches with leaves, flowers and berries diverge.

The "gingerbread" composition deserves special mention - it is one of the oldest in the craft. It is a geometric figure (circle, square or rhombus) with a pattern inside, reminiscent of a solar rosette. Such compositions had a symbolic meaning and were compared to the image of the sun, bringing light and warmth.

Khokhloma in modern art

The traditions of Khokhloma painting are not only carefully preserved, but also actively developed in the modern world. Today, Khokhloma goes beyond the traditional wooden dishes and finds application in a variety of areas of art and design.

A modern take on tradition

Modern masters of Khokhloma painting, while remaining faithful to tradition, introduce new ideas and technical solutions to the ancient craft. They experiment with the shape of the products, the composition of the pattern, color combinations, creating works that are in tune with modern aesthetics, but do not lose touch with folk roots.

Collaborations of folk crafts with modern designers are especially interesting. For example, JSC Khokhloma Painting collaborates with the HALF&HALF brand and graphic designer Anna Kulachek. As part of the HALF&Khokhloma collection, decorative plates were created where traditional elements of Khokhloma painting are harmoniously integrated into modern design. Such projects give new life to an ancient craft, making it relevant and in demand in the 21st century.

Expanding the scope of application

Today, Khokhloma is used to paint not only traditional wooden dishes, but also furniture, interior decor elements, samovars, and walls. Items with "kudrina" painting look especially impressive, where golden curls create a luxurious pattern on a bright background.

Khokhloma painting is used in modern fashion. Khokhloma patterns decorate clothes, accessories, shoes. The contrasting combination of black, red and gold colors looks stylish and attractive, adding brightness and originality to the image.

New materials and surfaces

Although traditionally Khokhloma painting was done on wooden items, modern craftsmen are mastering other materials. The painting technique is successfully adapted for metal surfaces, which allows for the creation of painted samovars, trays, and cutlery.

Even such unusual items with Khokhloma painting as bicycles and cars appeared. These bold experiments demonstrate the amazing flexibility and adaptability of the ancient craft, its ability to fit into a modern context without losing its originality.

Khokhloma as a symbol of Russia

Khokhloma painting is becoming a kind of calling card of Russia, a recognizable symbol of Russian culture all over the world. Products with Khokhloma painting are popular souvenirs that tourists take from Russia as a keepsake.

Khokhloma is present in the design of Russian expositions at international exhibitions, festivals, and cultural events. Bright and memorable, it instantly creates an atmosphere of Russian folk art, arousing interest in Russian culture.

Preservation and development of Khokhloma painting traditions

Preservation and development of the Khokhloma painting traditions is an important task for modern society. Transferring the secrets of craftsmanship to new generations of artists ensures the continuity of the tradition and its viability in a changing world.

Khokhloma production centers

The main center of production of Khokhloma products remains the city of Semenov in the Nizhny Novgorod region, where the enterprise JSC "Khokhloma painting" is located. Here, masters work, preserving and developing the traditions of the craft, creating both traditional and innovative works.

Another center of Khokhloma craft is the village of Kovernino, historically associated with the origin of Khokhloma painting. The masters of the Koverninsky district preserve the features of the local painting style, distinguished by a unique interpretation of ornamental motifs.

Training of young masters

An important role in preserving the traditions of Khokhloma painting is played by the training of young masters. Painting skills are passed on not only in families of hereditary artists, but also in specialized educational institutions - colleges and technical schools with a focus on decorative and applied arts.

Khokhloma painting training includes mastering both technological processes and artistic techniques. Future masters study the history of the craft, traditional ornamental motifs, composition features, color combinations, and also practice painting under the guidance of experienced mentors.

Museums and exhibitions

Museums and exhibitions dedicated to this type of folk art contribute to the preservation and popularization of Khokhloma painting. In Semenov, there is a Museum of Folk Art and Crafts, which presents a rich collection of Khokhloma products from different periods, demonstrating the evolution of the craft.

Exhibitions of Khokhloma painting are regularly held both in Russia and abroad, introducing the general public to this unique form of folk art. Such events help to attract attention to Khokhloma, to arouse interest in its history and current state.

Khokhloma painting is one of the most striking phenomena of Russian folk culture, combining practical functionality and high artistic quality. Originating in the 17th century as a way to decorate household items, Khokhloma has evolved into an original art with a distinctive style, recognizable ornamental motifs and a unique technology for creating “gold without gold”.

Over the centuries, Khokhloma painting developed, was enriched with new techniques and motifs, but retained its unique appearance. Masters passed on the secrets of the craft from generation to generation, ensuring a living connection of times and continuity of traditions.

Today, Khokhloma painting not only retains its traditional forms, but also successfully adapts to modern conditions, finding new areas of application and entering into creative dialogue with other types of art and design. This speaks of the viability of the craft, its ability to develop without losing its identity.

Khokhloma remains one of the symbols of Russia, a calling card of Russian culture, recognizable all over the world. Its brightness, decorativeness, and cheerfulness reflect the characteristic features of Russian folk art and arouse the constant interest of connoisseurs of beauty. Preserving the traditions of Khokhloma painting and passing them on to new generations of masters is an important task for all who value the cultural heritage of Russia. This is the only way to ensure the future of this unique form of folk art, so that for many years to come Khokhloma products will delight the eye with their golden glow and intricate patterns.