Picturesque Trays from Zhostovo

daisies, pond yellow lilies...

I am always amazed at the beauty and brightness of metal trays from the small town of Zhostovo, on the Klyazma River. I think these trays were not used at home, especially such beautiful ones. Most likely, these were interior items. And every time I walk past a gift shop, I see amazing trays.
Zhostovo workmanship is a handicraft of painting on metal trays, preliminary coated with a few layers of priming and oil varnish. The most widely used motif of the Zhostovo painting is a simple bunch of mixed garden and wild flowers.

dahlias, daffodil, lupine...

apples, plums, grape...

poppies

The trays were made by a blacksmith according to the old craft tradition: the shape and size of the tray depends on his work. The image usually lies on a smooth background, which may be black, white or other color. I show you different types of these items painted with flowers, fruits and vegetables.

sunflowers

pears, grape, apricots, cherry...

a Jag, a basket and a bowl with fruit 

The image looks voluminous, it seems as if it comes from the depth. Light patterned lace from various "herbs" surrounds the bouquet around the edges, fitting it into a smooth background.  
I like trays on a white background with wildflowers or berries. What tray would you buy for your home?

a bird and pomegranates

dandelions

cornflowers, daisies, poppies...

veggies

The hand-forging of a base for future tray started from 1830. The exact dates of manufacture were stamped on the backs of trays. They were popular in St. Petersburg, Moscow and other cities. Not only flowers were depicted by artists of Zhostovo but fruit, veggies, berries, birds,  landscapes and folk scenes. 
As I said up to these days the art stays purely decorative.

a waxwing and rowan berries

a bird and cherry

The appearance of Zhostovo craft is associated with lacquer miniature on the papier-mache boxes, which was manufactured in a near-by village of Fedoskino. 
To know more about lacquer miniature you could in my another post Russian lacquer miniature




sourse 
sourse