The artistic enamel is one of the most ancient technologies of metal decoration. As early as ancient times enamel was used as decoration of gold, silver and copper articles. Enamel was always as expensive as jewels, and sometimes it was even more beautiful. Not only the enamel beauty influanced its price, which always was very high. Enamel masters kept the technique of this art in secret and handed on the knowledge only to their apprentices. There are various enamel techniques: cloisonne, champleve, stained glass enamel, enamel on reliefs, etc. At present “finift” is a name of one particular technique which is enamel painting. The word “finift” remained also in the name of the vernacular art which appeared as early as 200 years ago in Rostov Velikii, Yaroslavskaya region.

Rostovskaya finift has its own history and its own unique artistic features. It is closely connected with various arts and first of all with the painting, which influenced its style as well as its themes. The miniature performed on enamel played an important role in history of this art and existed as its independent type. It is a very difficult and near work which requests visual acuity, sure hand, high firing technology. Despite all these facts the artistic enamel had many advantages over miniatures on porcelain, ivory, paper, which were very popular at the end of XVIII century.

Brightness, brilliance, transparency of paints, a rich palette, durability of works, which are not affected by light, air, time and keep their initial lustre und freshness for a long time; and at the same time rather wide range of subjects, namely a portrait (everyday or gala), devotional articles, unique jewelry, a landscape, and also reproductions of the greatest Russian and European masters’ pictures. Traditionally Rostovskaya finift is considered to be the best one in Russia.