Boxes from Zagorsk and Sergiev Posad

      Here you can find some elegant carved and painted boxes from Zagorsk and Bogorodsk made in the second half of the 20th century. As wiith much from Russia's recent past, they are hard to find in nice condition. Quantities are limited, in most cases one only. Pokerwork, also known as pyrography, has been around for 500 years as a decorative element. It was in the late 19th century that painting combined with pokerwork became popular. The main ornamental composition is drawn in the wood with a heated needle. This picture is then painted in simple or complex color schemes, then coated with lacquer. Common themes include Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius, with its powerful and ancient fortress walls from the 15th-18th centuries. Other compositions depict folk festivals, fairy tales, and village themes.

A Short History of Zagorsk and Sergiev-Posad Folk Art