Gzhel is a traditional Russian craft, a special kind of ceramic painting. White and blue colors are traditionally used to produce Gzhel pottery.
At the end of the 17th century, by order of Tsar Alexey, Gzhel began to produce pharmaceutical and alchemical vessels for government buying, and in the 1740s, chemist Dmitry Vinogradov produced the first Russian porcelain articles from the local clay. Until the mid-18th century, Gzhel manufactured pottery common for that time, produced bricks, earthenware pipes, glazed tiles and primitive toys for children. Gzhel masters devised warm-colored enamel, which was used to cover majolica. In approximately 1800, the Kulikov brothers found a composition of white faience mass in the village of Volodino of the Bronnitsy District. In about 1800-1804, the first porcelain factory was founded over there. White and blue painting appeared at the Gzhel enterprises in the early 19th century. Gzhel factories began to produce faience products with only manual painting.
After the revolution, industrial production in Gzhel ceased, so, porcelain and faience items were produced by handicraftsmen.
In 1945-1949, the third stage of the Gzhel craft development began. The use of cobalt paints on white clay became predominant. A special atlas of strokes was compiled to unify the production style.
Today, several enterprises in Gzhel produce not only tableware and figurines, but also ceramic tiles, clocks, chandeliers and telephones.
The postage stamps provide images of souvenirs: a pancake plate with a cat (porcelain, 2020, Gzhel Porcelain Factory Museum); jewel box Morozko (porcelain, 1980) and a kvass jar (majolica, 1792) (both from the Gzhel Art Workshops Museum); sculpture Tea Party (porcelain, 1966, Kuskovo Estate Museum, Moscow).
| Paper |
Printing method |
Format of the envelope |
| Envelope paper |
Offset |
114 × 162 mm |