Zhostovo. Painted Trays
I.Ya.Boguslavskaya

M.: "Interbook", 1994, 128 с., илл.

The village of Zhostovo outside Moscow has become a symbol of unique folk art. For more than 150 years now many of its inhabitants have been developing the skill of decorating but one thing, trays. Their skillful hands have turned this household utensil into a work of art. Bouquets or garden and field flowers strewn against the black background adorn these trays, giving people joie-de-vivre and awakening admiration over the beauty and diversity of nature. Every human being shares these feelings, and therefore few people remain indifferent to the Zhostovo craft, which has long become world famous.
Zhostovo wares belong to the family of Russian lacquers, whose history goes back to the emergence of miniature lacquer painting on papier-mache in the village of Danilkovo near Fedoskino and the villages of Ostashkovo and Zhosto-vo, all in the Moscow Region, in the late 18th century. Lukutins' and Vishnyakovs' workshops were famous for their caskets, snuff boxes, purses, boxes, stamp cases, cigarette cases, tea boxes, match boxes, pencil stands, plates, folders and other small objects decorated with miniature paintings that offered free interpre-tations of popular scenes of easel painting and engraving.