Wang Ying, Semenov, said, "So what would a room decorated with khokhloma look like? Here we have an example. The combination of red, golden and black is not a rare scene in traditional Russian arts. But these colors are especially important. Red adds warmth and strength to the artificial gold, whereas the black emphasizes its brilliance."
Though the items are wooden, they look gilded. The secret lies in a unique technique.
Oksana Razumova, painter of Khokhloma painting company, said, "We cover the items with tin powder, then put them in the kiln. At 120 degrees the silver color turns gold."
Today's popular painting themes have changed very little since the art was originally conceived in the 17th century.
The handicraft was named Khokhloma after a trade settlement in Nizhny Novgorod, where craftsmen were known for making and selling their handmade goods.
The Khokhloma handicraft seemed to be fading away in the early 20th century, but it was revitalized during Soviet times. Nowadays, this company is one of the two largest khokhloma manufacturers in Russia.
Wang Ying, Semenov, said, "The saying on the factory gate means 'golden khokhloma: Russia's heart' To foreigners, khokhloma is just a painting style, but to many local people, it represents a lifetime of devotion to art and technique."
A Semenov resident, said, "My mother has been working in the khokhloma factory many years, since she was young."
Mr. Toropov may embody this attitude best. He once almost lost his left hand while carving, but the pain is long forgotten when he thinks of his work today.
【英语听力视频:俄罗斯的艺术工艺品中心】相关文章:
最新
2016-11-24
2016-11-24
2016-11-09
2016-11-04
2016-11-04
2016-11-02