Russian Travel Guide

Zhostovo painting

In the Moscow suburb of Zhostovo in the 19th century a craft appeared which was to bring fame to these Russian craftsmen all over the world. And what exactly was their claim to fame? Nothing other than carefully painted trays decorated with detailed images of flowers and other colourful pictures. Such trays were initially designed for townspeople and peasants as the everyday item played a central role in the Russian tea ceremony and was also a sign of a family’s prosperity. With time this purely utilitarian item transformed into a piece of art. Among collectors these trays are valued for the colouristic richness of their subjects, defined by the free, full movement of the brushstrokes. In Zhostovo the art of painting these beautiful blossoms on planes of metal is passed down from generation to generation. To this day there are craftsmen in Zhostovo whose ancestors were the first to popul...

Коллекция Russian Travel Guide. Города. Новогодняя Москва

The Petersburg of the artist Viktor Raspopov

The majestic city of St. Petersburg has served as a source of inspiration to artists and poets for more than 300 years. However, the feeling one experiences when viewing a painting or reading a poem is much different than that which they have when visiting the city in real life. The chill of cold winds they feel as they walk along the riverbanks and city streets is almost impossible to portray through paints and words. Artist Viktor Raspopov’s St. Petersburg however, is not just a collection of buildings, bridges, monuments and people. His interpretations also include the look and feel of nature’s elements, which are so much a part of the northern city. His paintbrush swiftly captures the flow of air and water, translating them onto the canvas, where the image of what seems to be a constantly-moving city is born.