Gzhel
Bright hand-painted bookmarks in the original Gzhel style.
On Gzhel Painting
Gzhel earthenware derives its name from a locality in the Moscow area, where pottery was superseded by faience in the eighteenth century. Gzhel master craftsmen made unique white-glazed faience articles with polychrome painting, such as figurines and original utensils carrying small sculpted representations.
However, what made Gzhel universally famous was its whiteware and semivitreous ware decorated with monochrome blue painting, which subsequently became the Gzhel hallmark. Gzhel ware is known for its fascinating imagery, original design, abundance of sculpted decorative detail, and age-old painting technique. Gzhel ware depends for its unique style on the pale blue and navy ornaments and blossoms which owe their hues to cobalt oxide. The paint is applied to baked ceramic objects with a wide brush. A few precise circular strokes produce a blooming rose; a number of thin wavy lines form delicate leaves, scattered stalks, and winding tendrils. The bright and sumptuous style of painting, with folk humour permeating its subject matter, has extended to conversation pieces and figures of animals based on lubok popular prints, as well as mythical buildings and sculpted scenes from everyday life, folk tales and epics. What remains unchanged is the typical Gzhel combination of white, pale blue, and navy.
On Gzhel Painting
Gzhel earthenware derives its name from a locality in the Moscow area, where pottery was superseded by faience in the eighteenth century. Gzhel master craftsmen made unique white-glazed faience articles with polychrome painting, such as figurines and original utensils carrying small sculpted representations.However, what made Gzhel universally famous was its whiteware and semivitreous ware decorated with monochrome blue painting, which subsequently became the Gzhel hallmark. Gzhel ware is known for its fascinating imagery, original design, abundance of sculpted decorative detail, and age-old painting technique. Gzhel ware depends for its unique style on the pale blue and navy ornaments and blossoms which owe their hues to cobalt oxide. The paint is applied to baked ceramic objects with a wide brush. A few precise circular strokes produce a blooming rose; a number of thin wavy lines form delicate leaves, scattered stalks, and winding tendrils. The bright and sumptuous style of painting, with folk humour permeating its subject matter, has extended to conversation pieces and figures of animals based on lubok popular prints, as well as mythical buildings and sculpted scenes from everyday life, folk tales and epics. What remains unchanged is the typical Gzhel combination of white, pale blue, and navy.
