Uzbek Wood Carving and Painting

In Uzbekistan wood carving is executed on a wide range of objects from massive beams for ceilings to tiny children's amulets. The development of this art in the past was linked to ornamenting constructions and local architectural details, where the overlap post-and-beam system already presupposed using wooden materials on a large scale. In the traditional architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries, as the originals illustrate, at times carved wood was the sole element used for decorative purposes; objects to be ornamented were doors, shutters, gates, beams for ceilings, and pillars used in terraces - aivan and shiipan. Painted wood, Folk Art in UzbekistanIn the traditional architecture, painting on wood was mainly conjuncted with ornamenting structures on ceilings, stalactite-like eaves, caps of pillars for palaces, temples and splendid mansions, coupled with decorating various objects for the interior. The systems of ceilings varying from simple structure of beams and bars with their strict forms to complex many-tier beam and caisson structures, dictated various frieze, border and medallion forms of decorating ceilings. Classical motifs are created in the islimi and girikh styles, and the artist's objective is to visually lighten the architectural structure and eliminate the feeling of being constrained by low ceilings.

Carved and Painted Plates

Carved and Laquored Items: Tables, Chess Boards

Gift Wooden Plates, carved and laquored

Wood Carving, Wood Painting, Pumpkin and Gourd Vessels, Papier-Mache and Lacquer Boxes

Carved Pen Boxes

Richly Decorated Plates

Wooden Pencilboxes

Pencilboxes: carved and gold painted