The art of miniature lacquer painting was born centuries ago in Asia – China and Japan. Middle ages it appeared in Persia (modern Iran) and at the beginning of 18 century in Europe. In 1763 in German Brunsсhweig at the local production place first technology was developed to produce high quality decorative lacquer products. Technology was brought to Russian Empire where mass production of decorative lacquer products begins at the end of 18 century. Only noble and rich people were able to afford to buy such artistic decorative items.
What about the rest of people? They live their everyday lives but there always was a demand for beautiful things to decorate their houses.
At the beginning of 19 century when turmoils of insecurity were over in Russian Empire and farming was flourishing Ukrainian Petrykivka villagers start producing dining room and kitchen décor, painting interior walls, stoves, furniture, wedding chests, decorative plates for wall display, jewelry boxes, and all sorts of household utensils made from wood.
Paintings became more sophisticated as painters start using oil based paints permitted to produce new color schemes and enhance painting techniques. Outstanding ornamental paintings start to be used to decorate porcelain, expensive arm ware, keepsake boxes. From folk painting Petrykivka style developed into professional activity for many talented painters.
In modern Ukraine there are art schools teaching the basics of Petrykivka Art and and plenty of talented artists working in this area. Landscapes and scenes of folk Ukrainian life painted by professional Ukrainian decorative painters on different shapes of wood like wooden eggs, plates, plagues and boxes enjoyed by collectors and ordinary people decorating their houses years ago and nowadays.