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  •  Vytsinanka is a traditional art of paper cutting, widespread in the territory of Belarus. It appeared on the Belarusian lands in the 16th century, with the advent of local paper production. Initially, it was used to decorate church interiors or as vestments for icons. In the 19th – the beginning of the 20th-century, vytsinanka has become a traditional activity. It was used in church and secular interiors as a frame for windows, doors, as tablecloths, and napkins. During that time, portrait silhouette cutouts became famous and volumetric compositions made of paper – images of birds, lanterns, and stars during calendar holidays. In the 1960--1970s in Belarus, there was a revival of the vytsinanka, but at more professional level. Associations and schools of masters are formed in the centre and regions, research and publications appear. Today, the art of paper cutting is taught in many art schools, colleges, and universities. At the same time, vytsinanka continues to be a way of creative self-expression in many families, transmitting this tradition from generation to generation. Colouristic restraint, functionality, compositional rigour are characteristics of Belarusian vytsinanka. Stylistically, it is combined with other types of folk art and the symbolism of folk ornament. Traditionally, artisans use various methods of paper cutting – from simply cutting symmetrical compositions with scissors to combining complex pieces using scissors and a chisel. In the West of Belarus, the traditional technique of cutting on cardboard with the help of special cutter and a hammer is also used. The modern Belarusian vytisnanka is distinguished by the richness and variety of genres and forms, compositional solutions. Still, it is based on historical experience, approaches, and methods developed by masters from different parts of Belarus.