Gzhel is the name of a major ceramics center situated some fifty kilometers southeast of Moscow. The village of Gzhel is mentioned for the first time in the fourteenth century in the testament of Ivan Kalita the Moneybag, the Grand Prince of Muscovy. Otherwise historical chronicles note that the dominant pursuit of the local population was the making of pottery, for which reason the very name of Gzhel derives in all likelihood from the Russian verb zhech which means burn in the sense of firing clay. Though the secrets of the craft were handed down from generation to generation long before, Gzhel really rose to fame as a large center of ceramics in the eighteenth century when local potters mastered the making of majolica or majolica tin-glazed earthenware, which owes

this Italian Vessel for kvass (traditional russian soft drink made from rye bread). Majolika. 18th century.

sonbriguet to the island of Majorca, where these ceramic wares were made. Gzhel craftsmen first By the 1830s-40s most of Russian porce- lain was produced in Gzhel. Gzhel ware became increasingly popular; it was soon sold not only in Russia, but also abroad. By the middle of the 19th century Gzhel became the principal pottery supplier of the country.

Old factory building. The photograph features the working conditions of Russian masters in the 19th century.

The history of Gzhel dates back to old times and its will have a long life. The famous folk craft is gathering new force. The factory's product range includes: Vases, tea and coffee services, tableware sets and sculptured items.