Gzhel porcelain decorated with fancy blue painting has acquired wide popularity in the whole wide world. Its value is that it is unique and very decorative. Gzhel ware is decorated with flowers, leaves, bunches and garlands of flowers. They are painted with only one colour - blue cobalt, which is sometimes laid wide and rich dab and sometimes with a hardly noticeable touch of the brush. Touches of different intensity create a rich, bright and very impressive picture.

Gzhel masters made not only table-ware, but also small genre sculpture. These works depicted animals and people in action poses. From time to time the entire scenes of the rural or urban life appeared, such as traditional tea-drinking, beauties walking or sitting at work, cocks and hens, birds and so on. All works have a general feature - handmade fancy blue painting on white background. Handmade, indeed! The artist paints every cup or vase with a brush. That is why there are no two identical works; each one is really unique and keeps to the style of its master craftsman.

Gzhel craftsmen are true masters, who combine talent with centuries-old experience of their predecessors. However, handmade work is labour-intensive. It is always in small amounts, which can't meet the demand. Even in Russia not many people have Gzhel ware, and the collectors are very proud of their collections. The original ware has the hallmark "Gzhel" which confirms their origin and quality.

The items are fulfilled in plaster forms by casting from liquid porcelain mass. After the first burning the form is painted by cobalt. Usually the background is remaining of white color. Then painting is covered by glaze. Glaze fuses and makes surface of the items glassy and gives blue colour to cobalt. The ornaments of gzhel items are plant and vegetable (the roses are the most widely distributed species of gzhel patterns).

Modern Gzhel is charming, cheerful and original art. It soaks up the beauty of the Russian nature and the reserved, strong and expressive spirit of Russian people.

Today Gzhel is going through its golden age. There are super works with their mysterious dark blue shades floating through the light field. Fabulous patterns, garlands, free touches coupled with the subtle drawing - all these make Gzhel ware original, decorative and attractive. It is nice to use Gzhel tableware. It has become very popular lately. Many fans have been collecting them. White and blue articles decorate houses in different parts of the world. In our age of stamped fashion the thirst for original things made not by a machine but man's hands increases. The value of such things will undoubtedly grow with the civilization.

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