The Volkhov style of painting
Colourful bookmarks hand-painted with sumptuous Volkhov-style blossoms.
On the ‘Folk Baroque’ Style
Decorative wood painting preserved on old distaffs from the villages on the River Volkhov. The chief motif of the painting, termed ‘rozan’, is conventional in that it does not represent a particular flower. It looks as though it were sculpted in relief, owing to changes from dark to light hues, the effect achieved by using two paints or a combination of color and white paint. Sweeping rounded strokes create the shape of the blossom, which looks rich and prominent despite the dense brushwork. It is flanked by large asymmetrically arranged leaves outlined in white or black. Sometimes a spreading shrub with rose-like blossoms was represented. In order to match the shape of the distaff, the composition was framed with ornaments of similarly shaped smaller blossoms or with golden borders. The Volkhov manner of painting was dubbed the ‘Folk Baroque’ style for its rich decorative quality.
