Uzbekistan Handicrafts: Lacquer Painting

Rebirth of traditional Uzbekistan lacquer painting on papier-mashe (tosh-kogoz) occurred in late 70-ies of past century. According to medieval technique in order to decorate items with lacquer of golden or bronze powder craftsmen prepared a ground, adding cherry or apricot glue, and then patterned it. Lacquer and paints for papier-mashe were made by complicate receipts and plots of lacquer painting were based on fights, hunting, festivities as well as stories of eminent writers as Navoi, Jami, Khayam, and other poets of medieval East.

Though many secrets of Uzbekistan lacquer miniature were lost, modern Uzbek artists and craftsmen succeeded in revival of this art, creating own painting style and keeping centuries-old principles and forms of lacquer miniatures. In current lacquer painting traditions the technology of Palekh and Oriental miniature painting is used. Mainly, lacquer painting decorates various small wood boxes, pencils boxes, tables, chesses. Uzbek lacquer paintings is made by natural dyes, stirred with the egg yolk.

Today articles with lacquer painting are Uzbekistan traditional souvenirs. Moreover, beautiful miniature lacquer painting of modern Uzbek artists is displayed in various exhibitions and museums within Uzbekistan and abroad.