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Zhostovo is a famous Russian art trade. You'll always know it by bright flower compositions on lacquered metal trays. The trade started in 1825 from the first private works of Osip Vishnyakov in the village of Zhostovo. First trays were made from papier-mache. Starting from 1830 they started hand-forging the tray bases from metal. Decorative trays weren't novelty to Russians of 19th century. Such trays were in use from 18th century. The earliest trays that survived the hardships of life are dated 1870. The exact dates of manufacture were stamped on the backs of trays. Most of these trays were made by Vishnyakov dynasty. The trays were popular in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod. Not only flowers were depicted by artists of Zhostovo but fruit, landscapes and folk scenes. Up to these days our art stays purely decorative.
After Russian October revolution in 1928 Zhostovo artists united under cooperative "Metallopodnos". Thus started a new stage in trade development. Zhostovo decorative art manufacture was founded in 1960. Today it employs 240 artists. These people held tight bonds with traditions of the past. "Look closer into these ornaments and, I can assure you, you'll get the feeling to be compared only with music."