On December 5, 1924, the craftsmen of the small town of Palekh teamed up to form the Palekh Artel of Ancient Painting.
On December 5, 1924, the craftsmen of the small town of Palekh teamed up to form the Palekh Artel of Ancient Painting. That date is considered to be the beginning of lacquer miniature art painting. Photo: Troika by Ivan Golikov on a Palekh tray. 1924.
Palekh is an ancient town in the Vladimir-Suzdal area, and one of Russia’s ancient art centers. It is located 64 km from the city of Ivanovo. The town has a community of 500 artists among its population of 6,400.
A Palekh miniature is art painted with tempera on lacquered papier-mache. This tradition first appeared in the village of Palekh in the Ivanovo Region in the early 1920s on the basis of icon painting. Photo: Nikolai Golikov, People’s Artist of the RSFSR, the son of Ivan Golikov, one of the founders of the Palekh school, painting a dish.
Artist Valentina Pochanina at work.
Icon of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker painted in Palekh in the 19th century, offered at Russia’s 12th Antique Salon.
Icon stand painted by Palekh artists in the early 20th century.
A Palekh miniature artist’s workshop.
In the Soviet era, Nikolai Zinovyev, People’s Artist of the Soviet Union, studied the traditions of Palekh art. He developed a teaching methodology and wrote two books, Palekh Art and The Stylistic Traditions of Palekh Art. The latter contains 104 specially selected illustrations with captions.
Palekh artists have always painted a variety of items including brooches, barrels, jars, trunks, cases, boxes, notepads, paper cutters, cigarette cases, tobacco boxes, cigar cases, powder boxes, eye glass cases, glove cases, Easter eggs and jewelry boxes. Photo: A Palekh dish painted by Alexander Kovalyov.
The Chapayev box by Pavel Chalunin from the State Palekh Art Museum collection.
Illustration of “The Lay of Igor's Host” – The Battle, 1932, by Ivan Golikov.
The Song of the Merchant Kalashnikov by Ivan Vakurov. Palekh is an old Russian art center. Palekh miniature art is painted with tempera on papier-mache handicrafts. Ivan Vakurov is one of the founders of the Palekh miniature art movement.
The Winter, a box by Irina Livanova, 1976. Palekh is a Russian art center. A Palekh miniature is painted with tempera on papier-mache handicrafts. Irina Livanova is an artist at the Palekh Art Workshops.
Pushkin Fairytales panel by Vladimir and Natalia Smirnov. 1999. Ground ivory and tempera on wood, lacquer.
