Brooch with miniature 30 mm

Golden Hohloma is a bright phenomenon of Russian folk arts. The khokhloma handicraft became to be known as early as the XVII century in Nizhegorodsky region. It received the appellation of khokhloma art from one of the villages which grew to become a trading post to which the local craftsmen brought their wares for sale.

Traditionally khokhloma items were produced in the monasteries and were designed primarily for the Zhar's Court. When the highly-glazed pottery and metal ware was marketed, unusual painting of items from Semyonov guaranteed their popularity and sales.

Thus in the XIX century items with khokhloma painting were famous not only in Russia but in Persia, India, Middle East, the USA and Australia as well. The export of khokhloma items grew after the worldwide exhibition in 1889 in Paris.

 In 1916 Nizhegorodskoye Zemstvo established the first School for Wood-Working Arts and Crafts in Semyonov. First graduators of that School with it's director Mr. G. Matveev found a Cooperative (in 1931) which was restructured into a large production company Artistic Production Works "Khokhlomskaya Rospis".To begin with the 1960-s "Hohloma painting" has become the main manufacturer of handicrafts with khokhloma painting. The workers keep and sustain traditions of ancient masters and Semyonov deserves the title of the Capital of Golden Khokhloma.

Production activity

"Khokhlomskaya Rospis" JSC is based on a sufficient industrial ground and a large production capacity. More than 1600 people work for the company; among them there are a lot of great masters and deserved artists.

Technology of Hohloma painting
Demonstration of the different stages of the manufacturing process.

The technology of producing items with khokhloma painting is the following: wood is preliminarily kept on the air within a year; then a turner makes items of different shapes; each item is covered by linseed oil, aluminum powder, then is painted and lacquered. All the items can be used as utensils as they are covered by special lacquer, which has a Certificate.