The tiny village of Zhostovo is famous all over the world for its trays, or rather for that magnificent painting that covers these trays. Bizarre bright colors, lacquered shine and intricate patterns - all these are the immutable elements of the Zhostovo painting. These floral ornaments, along with Khokhloma and Gzhel, have become a real business card of our country, embodying Russian folk crafts, and are recognizable far beyond Russia.

The craft for painting the trays appeared in these parts under the influence of the Urals flower painting. And so it took root here that at the beginning of the 19th century, in several neighboring villages - Ostashkov, Troitsky, Khlebnikov and Sorokin, and in Zhostovo itself, there arose workshops for the production of painted articles made from papier-mache.

The trays began to be so popular and popular that they soon replaced all other products from snuffboxes to suharnitses, and they became a real local attraction. The center of the production of these elegant products is the village of Zhostovo, which gives the name to the whole style of painting.

After the Bolsheviks came to power, the changes also affected the Zhostovo workshops. After the unification of several artels in 1928, a single enterprise was created under the very "poetic" name "Metallopodnos". The 20s and 30s were a difficult time for the Zhostovo mastership of painting. The new government, in addition to rattling names, tried to change art, forcibly introducing into the folk craft elements of socialist realism, completely alien to the whole of Russian art, and especially for the Zhostovo ornament.

In 1960, Zhostovo observed a new upsurge of art, which continues to this day. Trays created in local workshops from ordinary household items turned into real works of art. Moreover, they are still manufactured using the old technology, which has not changed for a long time. Sheet sheets are shaped, then ground, followed by a process of grinding and coating with oil varnish in several layers. Works on the painting of trays are done only manually, as in the century before last.

The main motif of the Zhostovo painting is a flower bouquet in which garden and field flowers alternate. Painting, as a rule, is performed on a black background, although there are red, green, white and silver. Trays are mainly of two types - directly for food, and for decoration. They differ in form, some have their own names.

Excursions to Zhostovo factory

Excursion to Zhostovo factory takes approximately 6 hours, during this time the guests, except for the inspection of the factory, will be able to participate in master classes . It is especially interesting to visit the factory on holiday or public holidays, when you have the opportunity to paint something and take it with you as a souvenir . Such an interesting alternative to the standard fridge magnets . At the factory there is a shop where everything is sold for the soul - necessarily trays (of all possible colors and with various ornaments), before Christmas and New Year, you can buy Christmas toys, vases and other products here. . In addition to the factory shop, there are many artists working at home . @ There is a corresponding sign above each such workshop, so finding them will not be difficult .

Coordinates

The distance from Moscow to Zhostovo (Mytishchi district of the Moscow region) is about 50 kilometers, travel time, because of the winding roads (Ostashkov highway) m It can take up to 1, 5 hours or more, it all depends on the ubiquitous Moscow and Moscow traffic jams.

To avoid traffic jams, it is possible to use the railway transport: from the Yaroslavsky railway station the trains go regularly to Mytishchi, the journey time will take about 25 minutes. From Mytishchi by bus or minibus number 26 or by taxi (about half an hour). One more way: from Medvedkovo metro on direct bus number 438 to Zhostovo, the journey time is about half an hour, but this is without traffic jams.