Kosiv painted ceramics is one of the most famous varieties of Ukrainian ceramics, which was included in 2019 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
And all because such ceramics are almost impossible to fake because the production technology is very complex and the only one of its kind in the world. The clay-rich terrain of the Hutsul Region contributed to the development of pottery, which allowed to create its own unique style in the 18th-19th centuries. At first, it was mostly candlesticks and tiles. The oldest of which are kept in the museums of Bucharest and Vienna.
Features of Kosiv ceramics
Specificity in seedless decoration – riting. This is a painting of a product covered with white clay and dried. After the first firing in a pottery kiln, the product is painted with green, brown, yellow, and rarely blue paints (they never had white glaze, only white engobe – before firing). The product is covered with a transparent glaze and fired a second time.
In addition, by following the technique, ceramists create their style in shaping, ornamentation, and plot compositions.
We managed to digitize 20 works of famous masters of Kosiv from the funds of the National Museum of Decorative Arts of Ukraine.
Masters of Kosiv
The most outstanding master of the middle of the 19th century was Oleksa Bakhmatyuk. He not only presented his products at the exhibitions of that time but also interested Emperor Franz-Joseph, who bought his tiled stove. Bakhmatyuk became the one who created a certain canon in the depiction of figures on products. And now his bowl from the collection of the National Museum of Decorative Arts of Ukraine is securely preserved in digital format.
The 3D models also received the products of the Baraniuk family, which were also created in the 19th century and were descendants of Peter Baraniuk. Who, according to some statements, competed with Bakhmatyuk. And others imitated their style of work.
Among the digitized collections of the 20th century were the works of the famous craftswoman Paulina Tsvilyk and her granddaughter Nadia Verbytska. Tsvilyk created small-sized products, which she decorated with plant paintings, images of animals, and traditional story scenes.
Each product of Kosiv ceramics is unique, so you can check your knowledge about it thanks to quizzes, which were created on the “Museum Fund of Ukraine” portal by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy with the National Museum of Decorative Arts of Ukraine. Thanks to the work done on 3D digitization, the unique and valuable collection of works of masters from Kosiv can be examined in all detail. But to understand the skill of its production.
