MarketOpishnia decorative ceramics
Company Profile

Opishnia decorative ceramics

Opishnia decorative ceramics are a type of traditional Ukrainian ceramics from the village of Opishnia in Poltava Oblast, which is one of the largest centers of pottery production in Ukraine. The distinctive decoration emerged during the second half of the nineteenth century, and the region consolidated its reputation for pottery production. Opishnia painting is mostly of plant ornaments: flowers, bunches of grapes, bouquets and wreaths. Characteristic features are the light yellow of the pattern on a red-brown, white or green background.

History
In the first half of the nineteenth century, ceramics from Opishnia were characterised by geometric motifs. During the second half of the century, these motifs were exchanged for the recognisable '''' decoration. By 1893, there were 288 potters working in Opishna; for most of them, pottery was their only source of income. During the twentieth century, the pottery art of Opishnia actively responded to innovations in the social and artistic life of the state. One of the innovations was the use of easel painting elements, which were influenced by Soviet political ideology. The introduction of easel painting elements into Opishnia pottery was initiated by the drawing teacher, icon painter, and painter , a graduate of the Stroganov School of Technical Drawing. In the early 1930s, images of Red Army soldiers began to appear on pottery based on the influence of Soviet ideology. Political repression in the 1930s and 1950s affected the pottery industry. In addition to potters, political repressions also affected other residents of Opishnia who were involved in the pottery business, including the heads and employees of pottery establishments, teachers and graduates of the pottery school and researchers. A positive aspect was the mechanization of clay extraction and preparation of mass for household products. Pottery was taught to the Opishnians from school age: the students studied the basics of pottery and underwent practice at a ceramic factory. In 1986, the Pottery Museum was founded in the village by order of the Council of Ministers of Ukraine. It was initially inspired by the film-maker Alexander Dovzhenko. Examples of Opishnia ceramics are also held in overseas collections, such as the Ukrainian Museum of Canada. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, Opishnia ceramics were popular only as souvenirs. Since 2002, a small private enterprise "Pottery Circle" has been operating in the old premises of the "Art Ceramics Factory," with about 40 people working at the factory. In 2007, Kateryna Shtanko created the "Svyshchyk" postage stamp with a denomination of 5 kopecks. In 2012, ceramics from Opishnia were added to Ukraine's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. As a result, the region also hosts the National Pottery Festival. File:Opishnia_ХІХ.JPG|Pottery market in Opishnia, late 19th-century File:Фляндрівка_01.jpg|Fliandrivka decoration File:Завод_Художній_керамік.JPG|'Artistic Ceramicist' factory, in ruins File:Opishna1.JPG|Pottery museum in Opishnia File:2008. Свистулька.jpg|2008 stamp File:Goncharsʹki_festival_v_Opíshnomu-2011.JPG|Festival display == Manufacture ==
Manufacture
The potters of Opishnia create their products without any preliminary sketches. Pottery is made from a local type of clay. It has a grayish color, and when fired, it acquires a light yellow hue. First, the clay is kneaded on special equipment. After a few days, the craftsman begins to shape the product on the potter's wheel. == Decoration ==
Decoration
Opishnia painting is mostly of plant ornaments: flowers, bunches of grapes, bouquets and wreaths. Characteristic features are the light yellow color of the pattern, made with the natural color of clay, on a red-brown, white or green background. Colored engobes are used for painting. Products formed on a potter's wheel are first poured with liquid-colored clay, which creates a uniform tone. After a second drying, they are painted using a rubber bulb with a straw on the end; this technique is known as rizhkuvannia. To paint the bowls, an original technique is used, known as fliandrivka, where colours are applied to the vessel with subsequent stretching with a special cooper hook. == Notable practitioners ==
Notable practitioners
— a 21st-century Opishnia ceramicist • was a Ukrainian ceramic master of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. • (1914–2001) was a master of folk ceramic toys and sculpture. • (1921–1987) was a Ukrainian ceramist and folk craftswoman. • (1909–1991) was a representative of the Opishnya school of artistic ceramics. • (1910–1994) was a pottery artist and representative of the Opishnya school of artistic painting. • (born 1936) is a Ukrainian potter and sculptor. Laureate of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine. • (born 1957) is a Ukrainian potter who specialises in toys and figurines. == Gallery ==
Gallery
File:Lipka igrashok 02.webm|Shaping a figurine File:Potter 01.webm|Potter using treadle wheel File:Lipka igrashok 01.webm|Intergenerational learning File:Borsch 03.jpg|Borscht in an Opishnia vessel File:Куманець з Опішнянським Розписом.jpg| — a specialist drinks pitcher File:Ukrainian pitcher 01.jpg|Opishnia vase File:"Ukrainian Madonna" sculpure in the National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery, Opishnya, Ukraine.jpg|Ukrainian Madonna, National Museum of Ukrainian Pottery File:Опішня Орнамент1.JPG|Detail of decoration File:Opishnia coat.svg|, featuring an Opishnia kumanets File:Будинок земства інт7.jpg|Opishnia-inspired decoration in Poltava Governorate Zemstvo Building == References ==
tickerdossier.comtickerdossier.substack.com