Bidspirit auction | * Mstyora.

* Mstyora. - Box ”Youth Camp”.. Year:  1956 Technique:  Papier-mâché, painting, varnish. Size:  17.2x12.5x5.3. * Mstera The village of Mstera in the Vladimir region has been known since the 20s of the 17th century thanks to the craftsmen of the Epiphany Monastery. In the holy monastery they wrote “petty letters” - miniature icons; later they taught the skill to villagers. Mstera artists began depicting the life of the Russian village in lacquer miniatures in the 1920s, when icons were almost on the verge of being banned. The October Revolution dictated new subjects to artists. They did not start making boxes here right away; first they painted the wooden items with tempera. But they were poorly bought, but buyers liked the painted lacquer boxes from the Proletarian Art artel. Masters of Mstyora followed the Old Believer traditions of icon painting, painted in Dutch landscape and popular print styles, and depicted Persian ornaments. Mstera artists avoided black backgrounds, which is why the miniature world of the boxes seemed especially clean and festive. This is how my own unique style emerged.