History of Khokhloma painting for children
Tradition
An ancient legend speaks of an unknown icon painter who unexpectedly appeared in the Nizhny Novgorod forest. He settled away from everyone near the river. He was known as a skilled craftsman - he knew how to make such beautiful wooden dishes that they could not be distinguished from gold. He willingly shared his knowledge with local residents. When the king learned about such a master, he immediately ordered him to be brought to his palace. But the soldiers did not find the craftsman, he left, and no one knew where. Thanks to an unknown master, the villagers learned to create beautiful wooden products, and they continued his work.
Khokhloma - what is it like?
In the 17th century, in the village of Khokhloma of the same name, Nizhny Novgorod region, this folk craft of painting wooden products originated. Wooden dishes and some pieces of furniture were usually painted.
Khokhloma painting is characterized by filling the entire surface of the object with drawings. Thanks to plant elements, such ornaments look harmonious and rich. The main colors of Khokhloma painting are gold, red, black, and green, sometimes a little white is added.
Khokhloma painting mainly consists of plant patterns - leaves, flowers, berries. Variants of plant painting are called: “leaf-like”, “berry-like”, “herbal” or “curly-like” - with many curled stems. The geometric pattern is called “gingerbread”, and the sun-shaped pattern is called “gingerbread”. Sometimes you can see images of animals. The famous character of fairy tales, the Firebird, is considered a symbol of Khokhloma painting; it has become a favorite drawing of the masters.
The first examples of Khokhloma painting did not look as elegant as those that we know now. Paints and materials were too expensive for craftsmen, so gilding was applied only to the edges. In the XIX
century, craftsmen found a recipe for cheap compositions for golden paint. It was this bright color that became the hallmark of Khokhloma painting.
How Khokhloma painting is created
Making an item with Khokhloma painting will not be so easy; it is a very labor-intensive job. First you need to carve the blank, process it, and only then paint it. Before applying ornaments, the surface must be treated with a primer, oil, aluminum and tin powder and varnish. Khokhloma painting is done using oil paints. The very last stage of manufacturing is hardening in an oven at moderate temperature. Initially, the products are coated with silver tin powder, and when fired it acquires a beautiful honey-golden color. This is the secret of the shine of the famous Khokhloma gilding! Light wooden dishes with Khokhloma painting appear massive and voluminous.
A valuable element of Russian culture
The region where Khokhloma painting was created turned out to be well located - many people from different parts of Russia flocked here to the fairs. Bright, painted dishes simply could not be ignored. Buyers left for their homes, taking with them dishes of wondrous beauty. This is how Khokhloma painting became famous far beyond its region.
Khokhloma painting is, first of all, a reflection of the beauty of the nature of the Volga region. Images of plants are always shown as they are during the period of abundant flowering, spring and summer. Khokhloma painting has become very popular; this recognizable pattern can now be found in the design of almost any item. The type of ornament typical of Khokhloma cannot be confused with any other Russian folk painting. Each product is unique in that it is hand-painted, so it is impossible to find two identical designs. The unique Khokhloma style has been honed by craftsmen over several centuries. The art of folk crafts allows us to understand what our ancestors’ vision of beauty was.
