Khokhloma / Хохлома

Khokhloma is an old Russian folk handicraft dating back to the seventeenth century. It gets its name from the village where it originated, Khokhloma, which is located in the Nizhny Novgorod District. It is a style of painting using red, green, and gold hues on a black background seen on tableware and furniture. Traditional elements include birds, fish and other animals, berries, leaves, flowers, and branches.

The style faded from popularity, but made a resurgence in Soviet times. In the 1960s, the Soviets built a factory near the village of Khokhloma called Khokhloma Painter as well as an industrial association called Khokhloma Painting in the town of Semyonov. These are the two main places where khokhloma is produced. There is a  khokhloma museum in Semyonov as well. 

Make your own khokhloma picture using the steps in these directions.

Learn more about the process of khokholma painting, its symbolism, and history in the videos below.