By the 17th century, the village of Palekh (now in the Ivanovo region) had developed a strong school of icon painting. The artists often traveled and absorbed many styles. They went to paint and restore the Faceted Chamber in Moscow, the Novodevichy Convent, the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, and traveled to St. Petersburg and the Urals. Palekh icons were distinguished by their delicate fine painting, detailed workmanship, abundant use of gold, and transparent, radiant colors. In 1917, after the October Revolution, the Palekh artists had to adapt to new conditions where everything associated with the Orthodox faith was being eradicated. The former icon painters adopted the Fedoskino lacquer craft, painting papier-mâché on a black background. Instead of religious motifs, they began depicting secular ones, but in the traditions of the 17th century. Trees on the boxes, in shape, shading, and gold, continued to be painted as they were on icons. Thus, the ancient icon painting tradition was preserved in works of art on a scale hundreds of times smaller. Incidentally, the Soviets also sold these works abroad.