Craftspeople of Uzbekistan create masterpieces



Legends are composed about the ceramics of the Narzullaevs dynasty from Ghijduvon. Unique combinations of colors of the sun and the earth, the airy lightness and smoothness of twists - all are the works of usto-kulols (master-potters), who have given a new breath to the whole direction in the Uzbek ceramics.

The Ghijduvon pots, lagans (big flat plates), jugs and bowls are in great demand.

One of the successors of the traditions of the Ghijduvon school, the founders of the pottery and the dynasty of kulols of Narzullaevs is considered Sharofiddin Ghijduvoniy (Sharofiddin-chinnipaz). The history of his creativity takes roots in the far 18th century. The master for the whole of his life worked together with his son - usto Ergash-kulol, and their ceramics have much in common. Ornamental motifs that they used to paint the products interwove and blended into a single melody. The son of the great chinnipaz the master Ergash later became famous as a master for traditional Uzbek deep bowls - kosagar, and brought a lot of novelties to the style of Narzullaev masters. Especially popular the products of the dynasty was at the time when in the workshop started working two sons of master Ergash - Usto Narzullo (in historical sources he was called Narzi) and Usto Tosh Ergashev. Samples of their works are stored in many national and international museums.

Artistic expression of household items is a typical sign of the Ghijduvon ceramics.

Today, it is easily recognized throughout the great variety of Uzbek ceramics. The characteristic golden yellow and brown colors, the lack of central symmetry in the painting of bowls and dishes, the symbolism of drawings - all this is the traditional school of ceramics from the famous town of Ghijduvon.

Another typical feature of the Ghijduvon products is a plenty of covers for the cups. They are designed to maintain the temperature of the food. Another moment that draws the attention is that the central part of the rim of bowls decorated with a special floral pattern – islimi, and engraving – khon khorosh. These distinctive features of the Ghijduvon ceramics reach us from time immemorial. Its traditional painting also took roots from that period. Masters Narzullaevs are mostly use thick paints mixed with clay. They are applied on top of rough products and in baking them it is reached the convex, embossed pattern. Gijduvon potters paint such patterns in several layers, and then cover them with glaze. It turns out that the convex ornament is inside of yellowish glassy glaze. Due to this, when the light beam reaches the surface of cookware it is appeared the effect of flickering of a pattern. This is just one of the secrets of making the masterpieces.

To enjoy the abundance of forms and colors, true art of transformation of ordinary clay to a miracle is also possible in the capital. The Narzullaevs are regular participants of the Exhibition-Fair “Bazar-Art.”

“Today, the eighth generation of masters work in our workshop, within which operate a museum and the school of ceramic art. Special clay pots are very popular with people. They have special physical properties - keep warm for extremely long time. The secret of this property of pots, their lightness is in the reed fluff that we add to the clay. When baking the products it burns out, leaving a lot of micro-cavities, turning the vessel into a unique thermos. On this and many others our experienced masters tell to the younger ones. I am always happy to attend master classes conducted by my father and uncle, as constantly learn something new from them,” tells one of the youngest masters of pottery Obidjon Narzullaev.

Their works are amazing, memorable, and most importantly, are widely used in almost all in the country. Certainly there is none in the world who would refuse to take such a fine gift as a pitcher or bowl, made by hands of the hereditary masters. The Ghijduvon ceramics is recognized as one of the best in the world and extremely popular far beyond the home place. (Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)