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 The art of Palekh, one of the many applied art and craft centres of Russia, is unique. The precious miniatures decorating the lacquered papier-mache boxes, caskets and other objects, produced by the painters of the old village of Palekh in Central Russia, have gained world renown.
 One of the sources of Palekh lacquer miniature was the old art of icon painting. The themes and motifs of the Palekh art range widely from favourite scenes of peasants toiling in the fields, making hay, fishing, hunting, scenes of merrymaking with roundelays and other country dances, of troika riding, to themes of historical and social significance.
 Reproduced in the album are murals in the Church of the Raising of the Cross dating back to the early nineteenth century, a number of old Palekh icons, as well as works by Palekh miniature painters of today.
The introductory article offers a sketch of the history of the Palekh craft centre and examines the special imagery of this art, pointing out the most characteristic features of the Palekh art in the new, Soviet period. |
