The Fine Art of Russian Lacquered Miniatures

The volume contains annotated reproductions of the best examples of lacquered miniatures from the villages of Fedoskino, Palekh, Mstiora and Kholui in Middle Russia, together with a concise introduction. Lacquer work first appeared in Russia in the 18th century and workshops soon sprang up around St Petersburg and Moscow producing the distinctive handpainted and varnished paper-mache wares. They employed skilled miniaturists to decorate fans, snuff-boxes, etc. with scenes from fairytales, literature and rural life. Fedoskino formed part of the famous Lukutin works in the 19th century, trained its own master craftsmen and was well-known outside Russia, Palekh, Mstiora and Kholui, however, were primarily centres for icon-painting and only turned to lacquered miniature painting after 1917, successfully fusing Fedoskino techniques with their own icon traditions.