Khokhloma

Khokhloma («Хохлома») is one of the most recognisable Russian folk crafts. It took shape in the 17th century in the Trans-Volga villages of today’s Nizhny Novgorod Region: Khokhloma, Semyonov and Kovernino. The painting takes its name from the trading village of Khokhloma, where craftsmen and merchants gathered.

The hallmark of Khokhloma is “gold without gold”. A turned wooden piece is primed, coated with drying oil and rubbed with tin powder, then painted in oils and varnished several times. Hardened in a kiln, it takes on a warm golden tone.

The patterns are built from plant motifs: rowan, wild strawberries, berries, flowers, leaves and small curls known as “travka” (grass). The traditional palette is red, black and gold, with green added. There are two styles: “top” painting, with the design laid over a gold ground, and “background” painting, in which the ground is painted over and the design is left gold.

Today Khokhloma painting is applied to tableware, furniture and interior objects. The largest centre of the craft is the town of Semyonov in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.