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Wonderful Palekh miniature

Wonderful Palekh miniature

Wonderful Palekh miniature


Palekh miniature is a Russian national craft developed in the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region. Lacquer miniature is done with tempera paints on papier-mâché. Usually, caskets, jewel boxes, brooches, panels, ashtrays, tie clips, needle beds are painted.
The village of Palekh in the Ivanovo region is the birthplace of the Palekh painting. The village was famous for its icon painters during Peter I’s rule. At the beginning of the 19th century the masters were engaged in monumental painting, painted churches and cathedrals.
In 1918, the Palekh Artel, which was engaged in painting on wood, was created. Plots for Palekh miniatures are borrowed from everyday life, literary works and the Slavic mythology.
The Palekh miniature managed to preserve the age-old traditions of icon painting and transfer them to new forms and to fill with other content.

After the October Revolution, until 1923, most of the masters in Palekh remained without work. Someone left to look for money in the city, some tried to make toys, dishes or weave bast shoes. Until 1923, several attempts were made to adapt former icon painters to the decoration of caskets, children’s toys and wooden utensils. However, it did not work. The date when the Palekh lacquer miniature was created should be considered the end of 1922, the beginning of 1923. Artist Ivan Ivanovich Golikov was the founder of the Palekh painting. He was the first to do the work in “Palekh style”. Golikov created the composition Adam in Paradise on black papier-mâché. The leadership of the Handicraft Museum (today – the Museum of Folk Art) was interested in this work. The works created by I.V. Markitchev, A.V. Kotukhin, I.P. Vakurov and I.I. Golikov were shown at the All-Russian Art and Industrial Exhibition in Moscow in 1923 and were awarded a diploma of the 1st degree. In 1924, artists exhibited their works at an exhibition in Venice, and in 1925 in Paris, where they made a real furor and enjoyed great success. On December 5, 1924 the artists created the Artel of ancient painting in Palekh.

Wonderful Palekh miniature

Architectural monument - Ilyinskaya church, XVIII century

Architectural monument – Ilyinskaya church, XVIII century

Art workshop

Art workshop

Blue winter

Blue winter

Evening song

Evening song

House-museum of I.I. Golikov

House-museum of I.I. Golikov

In the State Museum of Modern Palekh Art

In the State Museum of Modern Palekh Art

Monument to fellow villagers who died during the Great Patriotic War

Monument to fellow villagers who died during the Great Patriotic War

Palace of Culture

Palace of Culture

Palekh song

Palekh song

Panorama of Palekh

Panorama of Palekh

State Museum of Palekh Art

State Museum of Palekh Art

Illustrations by Palekh artists

A. Khokhlov. Palei and Lulekh by M. Kochnev

A. Khokhlov. Palei and Lulekh by M. Kochnev

A. Kochupalov. Olenka by M. Kochnev

A. Kochupalov. Olenka by M. Kochnev

A. Kovalev. Sinyushka's Well by P. Bazhov

A. Kovalev. Sinyushka’s Well by P. Bazhov

A. Kovalev. Trace of stoat by M. Kochnev

A. Kovalev. Trace of stoat by M. Kochnev

A. Peskov. Silk Wings by M. Kochnev

A. Peskov. Silk Wings by M. Kochnev

B. Kukuliev. Ermakov's swans by P. Bazhov

B. Kukuliev. Ermakov’s swans by P. Bazhov

B. Kukuliev. Polyanka’s bush by M. Kochnev

B. Kukuliev. Polyanka’s bush by M. Kochnev

K. Bokarev. Blizzard by M. Kochnev

K. Bokarev. Blizzard by M. Kochnev

K. Bokarev. Silver Yarn by M. Kochnev

K. Bokarev. Silver Yarn by M. Kochnev

N. Malinkin. Golden Hair by P. Bazhov

N. Malinkin. Golden Hair by P. Bazhov

N. Malinkin. Mountain Master by P. Bazhov

N. Malinkin. Mountain Master by P. Bazhov

N. Malinkin. Silver Hoof by P. Bazhov

N. Malinkin. Silver Hoof by P. Bazhov

N. Malinkin. Volzhanka by M. Kochnev

N. Malinkin. Volzhanka by M. Kochnev

N. Zhbanov. Key to the Earth by P. Bazhov

N. Zhbanov. Key to the Earth by P. Bazhov

Nikita Kozhemyaka. Artist A. Zaitsev

Nikita Kozhemyaka. Artist A. Zaitsev

Sadko. The artist K. Kokuliyeva

Sadko. The artist K. Kokuliyeva

The artist V. Elkhovikov. Tayutka’s mirror by P. Bazhov

The artist V. Elkhovikov. Tayutka’s mirror by P. Bazhov

V. Fedorov. Beautiful spring by M. Kochnev

V. Fedorov. Beautiful spring by M. Kochnev

V. Ryabov. Diamond Face by M. Kochnev

V. Ryabov. Diamond Face by M. Kochnev

V. Smirnov. Tablecloth by M. Kochnev

V. Smirnov. Tablecloth by M. Kochnev

Yu. Brovkin. Okhlopochek-Otonyshek by M. Kochnev

Yu. Brovkin. Okhlopochek-Otonyshek by M. Kochnev

Yu. Kozlov. Zhabreev Walker by P. Bazhov

Yu. Kozlov. Zhabreev Walker by P. Bazhov

The State Museum of Palekh Art

1974 The State Museum of Palekh Art

1974 The State Museum of Palekh Art

A. A. Kotukhina. Igor's flight from captivity. 1956

A. A. Kotukhina. Igor’s flight from captivity. 1956

A.A. Dydykin. Reading a newspaper on the bank of the Volga. 1935

A.A. Dydykin. Reading a newspaper on the bank of the Volga. 1935

A.V. Kotukhin. The Tale of Tsar Saltan. 1934

A.V. Kotukhin. The Tale of Tsar Saltan. 1934

D. N. Butorin. Lukomorye. 1956

D. N. Butorin. Lukomorye. 1956

G. K. Bureev. Ivan, the peasant son. 1943

G. K. Bureev. Ivan, the peasant son. 1943

I. I. Golikov. Dance. 1925

I. I. Golikov. Dance. 1925

I. Zubkov. The beginning of the storm. 1934

I. Zubkov. The beginning of the storm. 1934

I.P. Vakurov. The demons. 1935

I.P. Vakurov. The demons. 1935

I.V. Markichev. Harvest. 1925

I.V. Markichev. Harvest. 1925

K.S. Bokarev. Danko. 1962

K.S. Bokarev. Danko. 1962

N.M. Zinoviev. Humpbacked horse. 1967

N.M. Zinoviev. Humpbacked horse. 1967

P.D. Bazhenov. Crane and heron. 1941

P.D. Bazhenov. Crane and heron. 1941

R.L. Belousov. Chernomor, 1960

R.L. Belousov. Chernomor, 1960

T.I. Zubkova. Sivka-burka. 1954

T.I. Zubkova. Sivka-burka. 1954

V. M. Khodov. Palekh. 1970

V. M. Khodov. Palekh. 1970

V.S. Ermolaeva. Gvidon. 1973

V.S. Ermolaeva. Gvidon. 1973