Khokhloma is the name of a village in central Russia, on the left bank of the Volga River. The village has given its name to the beautiful lacquered woodwork crafts which have been made there since the 17th century.
Historically, the village of Khokhloma was a small regional center; nearby farmers, merchants, and traders would come to the village from the hinterland to sell their produce or wares. As the town grew wealthy, its craftsman acquired the resources to produce items of great beauty. The lacquered woodwork quickly became synonymous with Khokhloma.
Khokhloma wooden lacquerware is typically done in two styles: the superficial technique uses red and black colors over the trademark gold color, and the background technique uses a gold silhouette over a red or black background. Khokhloma crafts are usually formed as tableware, and are kiln-fired to harden the painted designs.
The method of painting Khokhloma ware is very complex. Originally, the carved wooden dish was primed with a coating of clay mortar, linseed oil, and tin powder. Modern pieces use aluminum in place of tin. The floral pattern is brush-painted over the primer coating, and the finished piece is coated again with linseed oil before it is taken to the kiln. As with the metal powder, modern artisans have replaced linseed oil with a variety of light synthetic oils.
While Khokhloma dishes originated as a very fancy addition to the tables to the wealthy, the craft was fading out in the early 20th century. Soviet intervention helped to revitalize Khokhloma craftwork. Nowadays, this unique tableware, especially the spoons, is a quintessentially Russian souvenir.