Old Russian Symbolics on a White and Blue Porcelain

Russian porcelain is widely known and is often used as a traditional gift. The art of decorative painting on porcelain is handed down by craftsmen from generation to generation. Few of us, however, have asked ourselves what exactly is depicted on a Gzhel teapot or a Lomonosov porcelain cup. The blue color, glazed cobalt, has a long history.

Majolica made in Gzhel, 60 kilometers from Moscow, has traditionally been decorated with glazed cobalt.

Archeological excavations prove that the craft of pottery has existed in Gzhel since the beginning of the 14th century.

It is possible White and Blue undergalzed cobalt painting tehnology appeared at Gzhel due to invasion of Mongols. Blue and White China was well known product of Chinisean Yuan and Ming dynasties and Mongols could deliver examples of that china to Russia at 13-14th centuries.

In the second half of the 17th century, Afanasy Grebenshchikov, a merchant, built a manufacture where he made various kinds of majolica earthenware. For his ware, he used the famous white clay (Gzhel), as well as the experience of potters from Gzhel. Upon returning to their homes, the craftsmen began establishing their own majolica manufactures.

Traditionally, Gzhel porcelain has been decorated using flower motifs, the Gzhel Rose, for example, and fabulous creatures such as the Firebird. Gzhel porcelain often features octagonal shapes, shapes with eight radial points, shapes with twelve or six radial points, as well as a three-leaf clover.

What do these symbols represent?

The Firebird is a pagan, pre-Christian god of the ancient Slavs, the embodiment of the god of storms. In Slavic tales, this is a fairy bird that flies from another kingdom (a faraway land).

The Firebird is a very ancient pagan god that has survived only in traditional Russian folk tales.

The symbol of the Sumerian goddess Inanna (Ishtar) denotes 'clear sky', which was ruled by Zeus. The late Scythians traced their origins back to Zeus. His third wife, Hera, was a co-ruler of the sky. Her symbol was a duck ('sunny' in Sumerian), a golden bird or Zhar bird (Russian name of the Firebird, deriving from the Scythian zar, gold).

It is assumed that the Firebird of the ancient Slavs came from the Zhar bird (Golden Bird) of the Scythians.

Flowers were the symbol of the sun among the ancient Slavs. Flowers were braided into the hair of girls during celebrations of the ancient festival dedicated to the god the Sun.

The bud of a flower symbolizes a possibility.

A flower in full bloom represents development and fruition.

The ancient Slavs often used ceramic jars for religious purposes, as well as calendars. This gave rise to the tradition of decorating tableware with octagons (ancient Slavs recognized eight parts of the world) and calendar symbols (the twelve months).

The three-leaf clover symbolized a part of the tree of life, procreation, and the connection between the ancestors and future generations. The symbol of the tree of life is very ancient and exists in the folklore of many peoples. D. Melchizedek wrote that this symbol includes all the formulas of the creation of the world - every single one of them.

Let us, however, return to the later historical period.

During the Middle Ages, cobalt glazed decoration enjoyed especial popularity.

Gzhel craftsmen like to say that there is no blue like the blue of their sky in Russia.

So, the idea came to them to transfer this blue onto white porcelain. The design is transferred to unfired majolica or porcelain. After it is fired at a very high temperature, the paint acquires its famous deep blue color and becomes glazed over by the process. The design is very durable. The colors and the glaze shimmer. It looks delicate and esthetically pleasing on white porcelain and porcelain with gold, and gives a delicate and elite character to the tableware.

In the beginning of the 18th century, porcelain was especially popular in the Russian Empire. It was valued more highly than gold. The French Imperial Plant was one of the main manufacturers of porcelain tableware. Porcelain items were manufactured for the court of the Bourbons, and blue was the traditional color for decoration, since it was the color of the coat of arms of the Bourbons.

Soon, Russia acquired this tradition - porcelain of that time was often decorated with blue and gold. Initially, this tradition was not as widespread, and the 'ancestor' of the modern, world-famous cobalt mesh of the Lomonosov Plant, the set that belonged to the Empress Elizabeth, known for her passion for porcelain, was pink. (Cups of this design are still being manufactured and are called pink mesh). Glazed cobalt, however, has become characteristic of Russian porcelain, due to the technology of its manufacture - the higher firing technology than that of the French porcelain.

Later, under the the influence of Empire, the style that Catherine the Great was especially fond of, many buildings in St. Petersburg and Moscow were decorated in blue and gold. Glazed cobalt decoration of porcelain items augmented by gold over glaze was especially popular at that time. These traditions may also be noted in the world - famous cobalt mesh, blue, flower motifs of glazed cobalt - an Empire - style tree of life, and gold over glaze that symbolizes the ancient Firebird.

Article provided by Lomonosov porcelain internet shop
http://www.rus-sell.com

Pfannestiel Named to Pennsylvania Humanities Council
Gant Daily, PA - 15 hours ago
“I will be a voice for humanities development in Northwest Pennsylvania, assisting historical societies, libraries, and several other agencies. ...

WEB INFORMATION SPECIALIST
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Aug 20, 2008
The Simpson Center for Humanities has an outstanding opportunity for a Web Information Specialist. The Web Information Specialist is responsible for the ...

Library donates best-seller to students in humanities
Sacramento Bee,  USA - Aug 20, 2008
The city library has donated 50 copies of a New York Times best-seller to sophomores in the Humanities and International Studies program at CK McClatchy ...

Humanities scholars Matthew Anderson and Cathrine Frank receive ...
Media Newswire (press release), NY - Aug 19, 2008
In June 2003, Anderson organized a Law & the Humanities conference, on the subject of “Guilt,” at the University of New England. ...

The Times-Picayune - NOLA.com
Remarks by the First Lady at a National Endowment for Humanities ...
MarketWatch - Aug 14, 2008
This city's world-renowned cultural attractions make it the perfect place to talk about the National Endowment for the Humanities' Picturing America ...
Laura Bush visits Algiers school The Times-Picayune - NOLA.com
Laura Bush visits New Orleans high school Daily Comet
First Lady Laura Bush visits New Orleans WWL
The Times-Picayune - NOLA.comall 24 news articles

Library Links: ‘Let’s talk about it’ at McArthur (Aug. 21, 2008)
Courier Connection, ME - 7 hours ago
This fall, in cooperation with the Maine Humanities Council, we’ll be offering a book discussion series that will have an ideal combination of ingredients: ...

NEH Announces Nearly $3M in New York Grants
New York Sun, United States - 56 minutes ago
By Staff Reporter of the Sun | August 22, 2008 The National Endowment for the Humanities Thursday announced $27.6 million in grant awards, including almost ...

Soloist will bring Broadway to library
Sayreville Suburban,  USA - 2 hours ago
The event is offered through the Horizons Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the ...

MSU implements recycling program
Minot Daily News, ND - 23 hours ago
Linda Olson, who chairs the humanities department and is principal investigator for the grant proposal, told fellow professors and staff Wednesday that ...

MSU Recycling Program
Reiten Television KXMB Bismarck, ND - 20 hours ago
It's a number that surprised Linda Olson, chair of the humanities department and the person in charge of a new recycling effort on campus. ...

Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Her Last Day in Court