The village of Palekh is stretches widely out among the woods and fields in a picturesque corner of the Ivanovo county. In the XV century it was a part of the Vladimir-Suzdal lands and was one of the first ancient centers of icon drawing trade. Palekh became a centre of lacquer miniature painting after the Revolution when hereditary professional icon-painters, left without work following the persecution of the church and of believers, joined together. In their striving to save their craft, the masters at Palekh creatively reworked the icon-painting tradition to meet the new demands for such decorative objects.
Making a small box out of papier mache is, in itself, a month-long process by skilled craftsmen, even before it's ready for the artist's brush. While less expensive boxes are made from wood, papier mache is used in Palekh because it is impervious to temperatures and humidity, unlike wood which will crack in time.
Figures with expresive faces smaller than a match head guide their dashing horses across sparkling winter fields while Snow Queens dance through fairy tale forests, ancient hunting scenes and battles from Russian epics, village scenes and prayers, literary plots and the joy of work - everything is reflected in the art of these distinctive artists.
The Palekh technique uses egg tempera which allows for a translucent effect. The colors are Oriental - rich oranges, reds and yellows, brilliant blues and opulent golds - painted on backgrounds of jet black or red.
The 24-carat gold finishes are hand-polished with a wolf's tooth. Paint brushes are made by individual artists from sable or squirrel hairs. Often a "brush" is no more than one hair from a squirrel's tail.
Each color application is followed by a layer of lacquer that is hand-rubbed for a finish that adds depth and richness.
Finally, after several coats of lacquer and an evolved process of hand polishing to a mirror finish, one can better understand why these numbered and signed works of art can be expensive. By tradition, no copies can be made of a Palekh piece, each being unique unto itself. A single box may take weeks or months to finish. The lacquered miniatures range in price from about $10 to $12,000.