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Today the Gzhel factory produces a porcelain-type of ceramic in the traditional blue & white. It is this combination of a white background with a blue design, decorated mostly with a floral patterns. It is the most distinctive feature of Gzhel ceramics. Today's craftsmen work to retain those features & patterns characteristic of the famous majolica produced in the 18th. Century. Each piece is hand painted so you can be sure that no 2 pieces will ever be exactly alike.
Gzhel's local clay is of an extremely high quality & when properly treated, turns pure white. Gzhel occupies a special place in the history of Russian ceramics, as a center of the craft of folk pottery as well as a major source of clay to many factories in other parts of the Rus. Gzhel's name is connected with the verb zhech - "to fire, to burn". Gzhel offers a unique mix of both fine & folk arts. Their renowned cobalt blue & snowy white style follows old Russian traditions in the folk art. Each & every piece Gzhel is entirely painted by hand. This process requires many hours of intense hand work to mold, finish, glaze & finally fire each piece. Artist's education begins in kindergarten, followed by elementary & secondary school & finally is completed by a Gzhel art college & post-graduate courses in Moscow. Gzhel has its own unique & distinctive image, a composition of cobalt blue flowers & ornaments on white background. Each & every piece of Gzhel is signed by the artists who actually make them. Gzhel is right now at the peak of its renown. Designers & potters lovingly preserve traditional shapes & decorative designs. These are most notable for their folk features. All patterns are hand-made as were the historical Gzhel pieces. Contemporary pieces are easy to distinguish from their 19th Century antecedents. Unprecedented genre paintings appear on the porcelain. Assortments have developed with new shapes & patterns. Recently, in the last 12 years, Gzhel has begun producing tea, coffee & dinner services, samovars, vases, candlesticks, clocks, lamps, statuettes as well as many other items annually totaling more than 2,500 varieties. Many potters, sculptors & painters descend from generations of Gzhel craftsmen. New masters have appeared within the last decade. Vessels & figurines bearing their names are now the gems of the most ambitious collections. These young masters lovingly preserve the old traditions. They also enrich this famous heritage with their own art & designs as well.
The copyright of the article Rus Ceramic Art: Gzhel Porcelain - Page 2 in Russian Culture is owned by . Permission to republish Rus Ceramic Art: Gzhel Porcelain - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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