| Russian porcelain is widely known and is | | | | decorating tableware with octagons (ancient |
| often used as a traditional gift. | | | | Slavs recognized eight parts of the world) |
| | | | and calendar symbols (the twelve months).The |
| The art of decorative painting on porcelain | | | | three-leaf clover symbolized a part of the |
| is handed down by craftsmen from generation | | | | tree of life, procreation, and the connection |
| to generation. Few of us, however, have asked | | | | between the ancestors and future generations. |
| ourselves what exactly is depicted on a Gzhel | | | | The symbol of the tree of life is very |
| teapot or a Lomonosov porcelain cup. | | | | ancient and exists in the folklore of many |
| | | | peoples. D. Melchizedek wrote that this |
| The blue color, glazed cobalt, has a long | | | | symbol includes all the formulas of the |
| history.Majolica made in Gzhel, 60 kilometers | | | | creation of the world - every single one of |
| from Moscow, has traditionally been decorated | | | | them.Let us, however, return to the later |
| with glazed cobalt.Archeological excavations | | | | historical period.During the Middle Ages, |
| prove that the craft of pottery has existed | | | | cobalt glazed decoration enjoyed especial |
| in Gzhel since the beginning of the 14th | | | | popularity.Gzhel craftsmen like to say that |
| century.It is possible White and Blue | | | | there is no blue like the blue of their sky |
| undergalzed cobalt painting tehnology | | | | in Russia.So, the idea came to them to |
| appeared at Gzhel due to invasion of Mongols. | | | | transfer this blue onto white porcelain. |
| Blue and White China was well known product | | | | |
| of Chinisean Yuan and Ming dynasties and | | | | The design is transferred to unfired |
| Mongols could deliver examples of that china | | | | majolica or porcelain. After it is fired at a |
| to Russia at 13-14th centuries.In the second | | | | very high temperature, the paint acquires its |
| half of the 17th century, Afanasy | | | | famous deep blue color and becomes glazed |
| Grebenshchikov, a merchant, built a | | | | over by the process. The design is very |
| manufacture where he made various kinds of | | | | durable. The colors and the glaze shimmer. It |
| majolica earthenware. For his ware, he used | | | | looks delicate and esthetically pleasing on |
| the famous white clay (Gzhel), as well as the | | | | white porcelain and porcelain with gold, and |
| experience of potters from Gzhel. Upon | | | | gives a delicate and elite character to the |
| returning to their homes, the craftsmen began | | | | tableware.In the beginning of the 18th |
| establishing their own majolica | | | | century, porcelain was especially popular in |
| manufactures.Traditionally, Gzhel porcelain | | | | the Russian Empire. It was valued more highly |
| has been decorated using flower motifs, the | | | | than gold. The French Imperial Plant was one |
| Gzhel Rose, for example, and fabulous | | | | of the main manufacturers of porcelain |
| creatures such as the Firebird. | | | | tableware. Porcelain items were manufactured |
| | | | for the court of the Bourbons, and blue was |
| Gzhel porcelain often features octagonal | | | | the traditional color for decoration, since |
| shapes, shapes with eight radial points, | | | | it was the color of the coat of arms of the |
| shapes with twelve or six radial points, as | | | | Bourbons.Soon, Russia acquired this tradition |
| well as a three-leaf clover.What do these | | | | - porcelain of that time was often decorated |
| symbols represent?The Firebird is a pagan, | | | | with blue and gold. Initially, this tradition |
| pre-Christian god of the ancient Slavs, the | | | | was not as widespread, and the 'ancestor' of |
| embodiment of the god of storms. In Slavic | | | | the modern, world-famous cobalt mesh of the |
| tales, this is a fairy bird that flies from | | | | Lomonosov Plant, the set that belonged to the |
| another kingdom (a faraway land).The Firebird | | | | Empress Elizabeth, known for her passion for |
| is a very ancient pagan god that has survived | | | | porcelain, was pink. (Cups of this design are |
| only in traditional Russian folk tales.The | | | | still being manufactured and are called pink |
| symbol of the Sumerian goddess Inanna | | | | mesh). |
| (Ishtar) denotes 'clear sky', which was ruled | | | | |
| by Zeus. The late Scythians traced their | | | | Glazed cobalt, however, has become |
| origins back to Zeus. His third wife, Hera, | | | | characteristic of Russian porcelain, due to |
| was a co-ruler of the sky. Her symbol was a | | | | the technology of its manufacture - the |
| duck ('sunny' in Sumerian), a golden bird or | | | | higher firing technology than that of the |
| Zhar bird (Russian name of the Firebird, | | | | French porcelain.Later, under the the |
| deriving from the Scythian zar, gold).It is | | | | influence of Empire, the style that Catherine |
| assumed that the Firebird of the ancient | | | | the Great was especially fond of, many |
| Slavs came from the Zhar bird (Golden Bird) | | | | buildings in St. Petersburg and Moscow were |
| of the Scythians.Flowers were the symbol of | | | | decorated in blue and gold. Glazed cobalt |
| the sun among the ancient Slavs. Flowers were | | | | decoration of porcelain items augmented by |
| braided into the hair of girls during | | | | gold over glaze was especially popular at |
| celebrations of the ancient festival | | | | that time. |
| dedicated to the god the Sun.The bud of a | | | | |
| flower symbolizes a possibility.A flower in | | | | These traditions may also be noted in the |
| full bloom represents development and | | | | world - famous cobalt mesh, blue, flower |
| fruition.The ancient Slavs often used ceramic | | | | motifs of glazed cobalt - an Empire - style |
| jars for religious purposes, as well as | | | | tree of life, and gold over glaze that |
| calendars. This gave rise to the tradition of | | | | symbolizes the ancient Firebird. |