Russian Folk Panting Skulls

Russian artist Sasha Vinogradova finds a very smart way of demonstrating Russian Folk Painting with Skulls.  This is a clever way of updating a very old form of Art from a few hundred years or more, old.   The descriptions of each style is underneath each Skull.

If you like this then have a look at Ceramic of Death.

Gorodets Style:
This style of Painting started with carved Gorodets distaffs, that were manufactured in villages nearby  Gorodets town in Nizhmi Novgorod Reagion.   Gorodets Artists traditionally Paint Images of Birds and Animals like, Roosters, Horses, Lions, Leopards...   Flowers and a variety of Patterns.

Gzhel Style:
The Gzhel Style was used for ceramics and originated from a village of the same name,  Gzhel, where they have been produced since 1802.  The pottery's background colour was solid white, with the designs in a distinctive blue.

Khokhloma Style:
Khokhloma is the name of a wood painting and national ornament hand craft style.  It is known for its vivid, red and gold, flower patterns, with a black outline.  This style was used to adorn wooden tables and chairs, giving them a metal look thus making them feel more imposing.

Mezen Style:
The Mezen Style takes its name from the area it was first thought to have originated from.  This Style of painting is the most ancient in the Russian artistic handicraft industry.  The restrained colours, where the black outline, emphasizes the strained surrounding of the brown/red colours.  Mezen painting primarily reflect the mythological beliefs of the people that started this art form.

Noth-Dvina Style:
The Noth-Dvina Style takes its name from the area it was first started in, the  North-Dvina river.  This style relies heavily on symbolism to adorn the surfaces it was painted on.  For example, The Tree of life, Lions, Griffins, Mermaids, Bears...   White is used as the main background, with reds, greens and yellows as the main colours for the images, with a black outline.

Zhostovo Style:
Zhostovo is an old Folk handicraft mostly used on metal trays.  It appeared in the early 19th Century.  The paint style is achieved, using a soft brush dipped in diluted oil paints.  The most widely used motif is a simple one, a bunch of mixed, garden or wild, flowers.