A Brief History of Russian Art

Purchasing an exquisite Russian art piece from R&L, Ltd. will bring a sense of Russian fantasy and charm to any home or collection. We've traveled throughout Russia to bring you only the finest pieces of craftsmanship. Though each piece you consider is as fascinating as the next, each piece has its own story as unique as the art itself.

Here's a historical look at the products we sell so you can fully appreciate their beauty and understand their role in Russian culture.

Matryoshka Dolls (Russian Nesting Dolls)

The first Russian nesting doll was created in Sergiev-Posad near Moscow in 1890 at the Abramtsevo estate owned by Sava Mamontov, an industrialist and patron of the arts. Now, there are a number of villages that are known for their traditional designs.

Most Russian nesting dolls are carved from birch wood, although some are made of lime tree or similar. Russian nesting doll sets must be made from the same chunk of wood to ensure every piece will have the same reaction to temperature and climate conditions.

The smallest doll is carved first. When each Matryoshka has been carved out, it is covered with glue to prepare the surface, polished to create a smooth surface, and then painted. Every set R & L sells is hand-carved and hand-painted.

Russian nesting dolls depict scenes from Russian fairy tales, churches and architecture of Russian cites and towns, and life scenes of the Russian people and arts. This art is much like the work of the Masters of the Canvas, but here the artist tells a story by nesting chapters of their story in paintings on wood.

Russian Lacquer Boxes

The art of painting on papier-mâché boxes began in the late eighteenth century in Danilkova, a village near Moscow. Soon it was brought to Fedoskino, Palikh, Kholui, and Mystera where it is still a thriving art form.

The Russian lacquer boxes are primarily constructed of cardboard that is glued, pressed together, and cut to specific sizes. Once oven dried and cured, several coats of lacquer are applied inside and out and the boxes are cleaned and polished to a smooth finish. The box is ready to be transformed into a small miracle reflecting the artist's reflection of a chosen fairy tale, song, legend, opera, or ballet.

Since these stories are passed down generation to generation, each Russian lacquer box may represent the version of the tale as told to the artist. They can vary greatly.

Religious Icons

Early Byzantine churches inspired the art of Russian icon painting dating back to the 10th century. Until the 17th century, most Russian painting was icon painting.

Early on, the Russians viewed the paintings as sacred objects. Therefore, only holy persons could create them and the icons were valued more for their spirituality than the artistic skill displayed. The Orthodox believed the icons could cure the ill and God revealed himself through art.

Though Byzantine in origin, the Russians developed a unique style of icon art by adding natural qualities, expressive faces, and bright colors to the usually serene features.

Mammoth Tusks

Tusk carving traditions date back to the 12th century. The most talented artists in Russia have resurrected the technology of carving and recreating marvelous works of art.

Mammoth tusk is a very rare and precious substance and is found buried deep for more than 10,000 years in the Siberian permafrost. Mammoth tusk's owes its rich historical and antique value to thousands of years of extinction.

Once unearthed, the Mammoth tusk endures 3 years of special treatment and 15 stages of preparation before being carved into treasured pieces. Following centuries-old traditions, most carving is done by hand, making each piece a unique masterpiece.

Pendant Eggs - Carl Faberge Models and More

Peter Carl Faberge, renowned jeweler to the Russian Imperial court and the Tsar, took the ancient tradition of crafting beautifully and skillfully decorated eggs symbolizing life to the highest level. Some would say he achieved perfection with his work. Although we don't have the genuine article from the era of Peter Carl, we do offer a variety of unique hand painted eggs depicting Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, and saints.

These eggs are created by talented Russian artists who have hand painted portraits of Tsar Nicholas II, Alexandra and the Royal Children. We also carry elegant Russian cut-crystal eggs with Imperial designs, miniature jewelry box reproductions of Faberge egg designs, famous design depictions, and new and remade structures.

Authenticity

We guarantee all our products are original and created by the designated artist. Artists inscribe their signatures on the bottom of the nesting sets and lacquer boxes. Our partner and friend who lives in Moscow, Russia, chooses each item of art that we obtain. Also an artist, she attended school with many of today’s most prestigious and popular artists. Each piece is carefully selected and delivered directly to her or obtained from the artist personally to ensure original authenticity.

Cheap imitations are easy to spot. When looking at the work or the material, real masterpieces are of the highest quality and show the artists’ talent, expertise, and attention to detail. Once familiar with a particular artist’s style, you can identify a counterfeit if the work varies from their usual style and technique. Unless, of course, the artist is experimenting with a new idea.

Matryoshka Dolls

Our artists, mostly female, are graduates of Abramtsevo Art School in Khotkova, just north of Moscow. Our partner in Moscow meets them frequently to choose the artwork for sale here in the U.S. Some of the artists know us and contact our partner when new pieces are complete. We select works from artists we have done business with over the years. We also try to find specific artists that a client might find particularly interesting. We are always on the lookout for new talent, so we do have pieces shown to us by up and coming artists who are familiar with our reputation and looking to sell their unique pieces in the U.S.

A few artists we represent: Shiryaeva, Volkova, Brudis, Permsky, Petrova, Nepomnyaskaya, Kiselyova, and Streltsova.

Lacquer Boxes

These artists are much like the exclusive artists of the Matryoshka, but the medium for their work is different using papier-mâché vs. birch wood. These artists are talented and highly trained to develop masterpieces in lacquer. Just like the Matryoshka artists, we have connections for direct buying and pricing. We consistently search for new artists and take orders for special themes from an artist of your choice.

We sell pieces representing four schools: Mystera, Palekh, Kholui, and Fedoskino.

A few artists we represent: Molodkin (all three), Wagner, Golisheva, Sokolova, Pyastolov, Tretyakov, Belova, Golovchenkov, Vlesko, Gusov and Ribakova.