The contemporary Gzhel artist Yulia Ivanovna Petlina loves cats, and displays this love in her works. A majolica figurine of a cat painted in various colors is a highlight of the 20th-century Gzhel porcelain collection, which is part of the permanent exhibition. The artist ironically marked her decorative sculpture with the inscription “I am waiting for something” in the spirit of the 18th-century amusing inscriptions on tiles and majolica vessels.

The cat has a huge relief bow with large and small polka dots on its neck, and its fluffy tail is also decorated with a polka dot pattern. This is obviously some family’s favorite pet that makes people feel happy and relaxed. There is an image of a small house with a turret on the cat’s chest. The smoke comes out from the chimney, the branches are in bloom, and there is an inscription “Gzhel” above the house. In the late 18th century, pitchers and kvas jugs were decorated with the images of houses and trees in the same casual manner. On the back, there is a narrow oblong slit through which money is dropped — as this figurine is a proper piggy bank. Below is the signature,

Since piggy banks were most often made from ceramics, people considered China to be the birthplace of this tradition. The first piggy banks were disposable: there was no hole to extract the money, and they had to be broken. More practical reusable piggy banks appeared later. Most often, piggy banks were made in the form of animals, and the pig was the most popular image in various cultures.

Gzhel is one of the most famous centers of ceramic production in Russia. It includes a number of villages in the Moscow region. The high level of Gzhel pottery has been known since the 18th century. In the 20th century, the craft’s revival began in the post-war 1940s, when the Gzhel technique, favorite art forms, and painting system were restored based on old traditions. Yulia Ivanovna Petlina was one of the artists who participated in the revival of the Gzhel majolica. She was born in Moscow and graduated from the Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry. In 1984, the artist came to the experimental majolica workshop in Fenino. The work of Yulia Ivanovna Petlina is deeply traditional and at the same time surprisingly modern. Neither the tradition, nor her academic education stifle the artist’s creativity — all her experiences have been intertwined and used in the creative process. Having chosen this craft, Petlina joined the team of like-minded people to revive majolica.