From time immemorial, on Russian soil there were craftsmen capable of creating beautiful things with their own hands. Folk crafts include porcelain products, decorative paintings, clay toys, down scarves, and lacquer miniatures. The soul of the people is reflected in native Russian works of craft art.
Matryoshka is a symbol of our country's artistic crafts. This wooden painted doll comes from the city of Sergiev Posad and is only about 100 years old. But the popularity of the nesting doll is enormous.
Gzhel is a folk ceramic craft. Everyone is familiar with the famous blue and white pattern imprinted on extraordinary porcelain dishes.
Khokhloma is a unique art of painting wooden products with paints. A special varnish coating technology gives the extraordinary beauty of children's furniture and decorative dishes.
4. Orenburg scarf
Orenburg handmade down scarves give the warmth of the golden hands of craftswomen who skillfully created them from delicate goat down.
The Dymkovo toy, made of clay, painted and kilned, is undoubtedly a symbol of Russian craftsmanship.
6. Palekh miniature
Palekh lacquer miniatures preserve the traditions of the art of icon painting of Ancient Rus'. Craftsmen skillfully paint boxes and brooches made of papier-mâché with gold tempera on a black background.
7. Tula samovar
Tula samovars are the pride of Russian samovar masters. Tula craftsmen are able to create a samovar of any complexity and from any material, and also paint it beautifully.
Filigree is a jewelry technique for creating an openwork pattern from gold, silver or copper wire. Each product made using this elegant technique is unique.
Kasli casting from bronze or cast iron is a complex technology of casting and molding of products, graphic clarity of the silhouette and hand-chasing of highly artistic products.
Fur - the products of the fur trade - is highly valued all over the world. Russian fur warms the soul and body in the most severe frosts.
But, first of all, it’s worth finding out where these, rightfully so, works of art came from in Rus', having gone through centuries and a lot of difficulties, passed down from generation to generation, from master to master, from father to son, folk crafts have reached our times!
On the Uzola River, in the ancient forests of the Trans-Volga region, there are ancient Russian villages - Novopokrovskoye, Khryashi, Kuligino, Semino. This is where the world famous Khokhloma fishery. In these villages, master artists still live today, who paint wooden dishes, continuing the traditions of their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers.
However, set the appearance time Khokhloma painting Researchers have not yet succeeded. After all, wooden dishes and other utensils were not stored for a long time. From frequent use it wore out and became unusable. It was thrown away or burned, replaced with a new one. Products have reached us Khokhloma masters mostly from the 19th century. But various documentary information indicates that the fishery originated at an earlier time, perhaps in the 17th century.
The original technique characteristic of Khokhloma, where painting with cinnabar and black paint was performed on a golden background, finds analogies in ancient Russian art.
The documents mention that at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, during the ceremonial reception of guests, they were presented with wooden ladles decorated with gold and cinnabar, as well as cups.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the Trans-Volga lands were assigned to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, among which there was also Khokhloma. The peasants not only saw this gilded dishes, but also could know how to paint them. But Khokhloma craftsmen had their own method of “gilding”. The dishes were rubbed with tin powder, covered with drying oil and heated in carved gilded ovens. The drying oil turned yellow from the high temperature, and the tin shining through it became gold.
One of the best masters Khokhloma painting spoke about this craft like this: (The very nature of the painting, imitating gold and silver dishes, was suggested by the decorative art of Ancient Rus'... Khokhloma, probably was only a late reflection of this great art...)
In the 19th century, the fishery grew so much that it supplied its goods in large quantities not only to the domestic market, but also abroad to the countries of Central Asia and Western Europe. Several villages of Semenovsky and Balakninsky districts of the Nizhny Novgorod province, Makarinsky and Varnavinsky - Kostroma province were engaged in the production of dishes and other household items. Among them there was something like a division of labor. In one village wood was processed, in another a design was applied.
Earliest works Khokhloma in the collection of the Russian Museum date back to the second half of the 19th century. They number about 170 household items of various purposes. The dishes are represented by bowls and cups of any size: from small ones, similar to dessert rosettes, to huge ones 70-80 centimeters in diameter; various suppliers and barrels of salt shakers and a variety of spoons.
Cheap everyday dishes could be distinguished by simple patterns applied with special stamps made of felt fabric or a raincoat mushroom. These are spirals, diamonds, small rosettes and leaves.
More expensive items were painted by hand with a brush, creating various compositions of herbal patterns, where slightly curving thin red and black twigs with lush feathery blades of grass were rhythmically combined.
Sometimes red and black fluffy grass complemented the main ornamental motif of a large curly stem, each curl of which ended with a red berry.
In the 1960s, multi-item sets and services began to be produced.
Modern Khokhloma has rightfully received wide recognition not only in our country, but also far beyond its borders. Brightly painted cutlery sets, cups, spoons, and furniture are exhibited at many major international exhibitions. And this unique, cheerful art always finds love and understanding among people of all nationalities.
There is a village in the Moscow region Zhostovo, whose residents have mastered the art of decorating just one thing for more than a century and a half - a tray. Under the brush of folk painters, this object acquired the qualities of a work of art. Collected in bouquets or freely spread out on a shiny black background, garden and wildflowers decorate the tray and bring people a feeling of joy of the soul, the poetry of the eternal flowering of nature. After all, there is hardly a person who does not love nature, who is indifferent to flowers, their beauty, aroma, and the great power of life contained in them. This topic is close to everyone, which is why there are so many admirers Zhostovo talent not only in our country, but also abroad.
And once upon a time, at the beginning of the 19th century, opening in Zhostovo The first workshop for the production of papier-mâché products, merchant Philip Nikitievich Vishnyakov did not even suspect that he had founded a new craft, which would eventually become one of the unique centers of Russian folk culture. The original art of decorative painting developed here, incorporating the traditions of folk painting on household objects and easel painting of still life, understood and reworked by folk artists in their own way. The first trays were made of papier-mâché, as were the boxes, snuff boxes, vintage boxes and boxes produced with them. At first, the paintings that adorned them were the same - landscapes painted from engravings and paintings, summer and winter threesomes of horses, tea parties at the table. Placed on a black background in the center of the field, silhouettes of figures and local color spots were clearly readable.
In the 1830s, trays in Zhostovo began to be made of metal. The idea of replacing papier-mâché with a more durable material was inspired by the Zhostovo trays from Nizhny Tagil, the famous center of their production back in the 18th century. In the 19th century, trays were made in Tagil, decorated with floral patterns characteristic of Ural folk painted utensils.
Another famous center for the production of trays was St. Petersburg. Trays of curly shapes and complex patterns depicting flowers, fruits, birds among various shells and whimsical curls were in fashion here.
Zhostovo The masters took into account the experience of the painters of Nizhny Tagil and St. Petersburg, but did not just use the styles and techniques they liked, but based on them they created their own unique style and character for decorating the trays. It developed in the 1870s - 1880s.
At this time, the demand for trays in cities. In taverns, drinking establishments and hotels, trays were used for their intended purpose and as interior decoration. Tray production in Zhostovo gradually separated from lacquer miniatures on papier-mâché. Many workshops arose that produced trays for sale in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other areas. From then to now Zhostovo and the surrounding villages are a kind of reserves of this unique art.
Collection Zhostovo trays in the Russian Museum is small. But it contains first-class works, performed in different periods of the life of the craft and clearly reflecting the characteristics and level of art of their time.
Among the most famous works is an oval tray decorated with mother-of-pearl painting.
Almost every antique tray bears the mark of the workshop in which it was made. From this mark you can find out the name of the owner of the workshop, and from it you can determine the time of creation of the tray.
At a distance of 50-60 kilometers northeast of Moscow, in the Ramensky district, along the Yegoryevskoye Highway, there are two dozen beautiful villages and hamlets merged with each other.
Gzhel- the name of one of the villages - a former volost center, which became a collective for the entire region, a symbol of unique art and folk craftsmanship.
Gzhel is the name given to highly artistic works produced in these places. porcelain, painted with cobalt on a white background.
Gzhel was first mentioned in written sources in 1339 in the spiritual letter of Ivan Danilovich Kalita. Since then, over the centuries, as one of the most profitable volosts, it passed Gzhel by inheritance in the family of the great Moscow princes and kings, bringing them considerable income.
Back in the 16th century, Gzhel residents transported surplus household utensils to Moscow, as well as to Moscow potters in the Yauzskaya Sloboda; some stayed there to work. They also went to Moscow fairs and auctions. At the auction we got acquainted with imported products of craftsmen from other places in Russia, from other countries.
On the basis of peasant crafts and trade, a new type of peasant population of Gzhel gradually emerged.
By the 70s - 80s of the 18th century Gzhel becomes the center of production of artistic majolica in Russia. The fact is that since the opening of the manufactory of Afanasy Grebenshchikov in 1724, many Gzhel residents worked there as potters. Savvy and efficient, they quickly grasped the secrets of the new production of majolica products, and returning to their homeland, they started their primitive, but numerous new forges, created their products not only from ordinary red clays, as before, but used the new technology of white masses with admixtures of other varieties of clays and mineral additives.
Original Gzhel products were in constant demand. Handicraft peasants worked from dawn to dusk, dealing with clay and creating things necessary for everyday life from it. Each of them had his own style, and when creating products, he introduced his own vision of the world around him. The value of dishes and toys was determined by the tastes of buyers and controlled by their demand. The popularity of Gzhel products meant that they met the requirements that met the utilitarian goals and artistic tastes of the people of that time. In the middle of the 18th century, pottery production began to develop quite quickly in Russia, but Gzhel products were in constant demand. From here, the production of ceramics spreads to Kolomenskaya, Serpukhovskaya and other districts of the Moscow province.
The end of the 18th century was a time of prosperity Gzhel majolica; Local craftsmen achieved especially great skill in the manufacture of jugs, kumgans, and kvass. The work required great patience and skill. The painting did not allow for corrections or alterations, since it was carried out on a soft, unfired shard covered with white enamel. The Gzhelians also produced separately small majolica sculptures, which often reflected typical scenes of their lives, compositions filled with humor, soldiers, peasant women, fashionistas and dandies, busy with one thing or another. The plots were expressive and intelligible, captivating with the clarity of their plans and the naivety of their creators - simple folk craftsmen.
For many decades, Gzhel residents created tiles of amazing beauty and variety of paintings for decorating stoves and fireplaces. The Hermitage now keeps over 500 of their samples in its collection.
Many Gzhel masters participated in the creation of pottery in other places in Russia.
They tried to make Gzhel semi-faience back in the last years of the 18th century. Objects made from this material imported from abroad were so expensive that only a few could buy them, but they involuntarily pushed Gzhel residents to master the technology of their production.
Semi-faience already had a white, albeit thick shard, and painting was carried out not on raw enamel, as on majolica products, but after firing, on a hard shard, which greatly facilitated, speeded up the work and accelerated defects.
Semi-faience has become as wonderful an artistic phenomenon as majolica. The Gzhel residents managed to obtain white tableware, similar to earthenware, at the beginning of the 19th century. By adding lime to their clay, the Gzhel people obtained a material called simple faience or semi-faience, and during the 19th century they created tens of thousands of necessary household items from it.
It took a while for the Gzhel people to develop their own unique style of cobalt painting, but gradually it reached perfection in semi-faience. The blue color becomes classic, inseparable from Gzhel semi-faience. This was a new visual pictorial language that replaced contour drawing with polychrome coloring, which was previously used in majolica. Blue paint combines best with glaze, produces less defects when fired, and emits a timeless radiance. The painting also contains elements of humanization and spiritualization of things.
By the middle of the 19th century Gzhel was the largest supplier of ceramic products in the country.
In the second half of the 19th century, significant changes occurred in Russian ceramic production. Large mechanized factories are now in the lead. Economical production, high quality products and moderate prices made it possible to win the fight in the sales markets.
In 1926, the number of workers in the porcelain and earthenware industry was Gzhelskaya region there were 506 people.
The Gzhel Partnership was created as a result of the merger of six small workshops from different villages in 1972.
In the village of Zhirovo they produce ceramic fireplaces, in the villages of Troshkovo and Fenino - pottery and majolica dishes. In the village of Fenino, together with an Italian company, a production facility for the production of tiles and tiles is being created. Porcelain toys are made in the village of Kolomino-Fryazino, and modern production facilities in the villages of Turygino and Bakhteevo are the main centers for the production of artistic porcelain.
Gzhel masters deeply and sacredly preserve the traditions of their ancestors, creatively develop and multiply them. In a semi-fairy-tale world created by master ceramists of today Gzhel, it is difficult to draw a clear line between the art of the past and the present. The spring that arose centuries ago in the soul of the Russian people does not dry up; Having passed through the thickness of centuries, it still remains a powerful aesthetic force and does not lose its purity. The continuity of the traditions of folk craftsmen and loyalty to them is the seed of success and popularity of Gzhel ceramics in our time.
Story Gzhel goes back centuries, and its folk art is destined to have a long life; today the famous folk craft is gaining new strength. Bluebirds of Gzhel fly to different parts of the planet to decorate people’s lives and cultivate a sense of beauty.
Since ancient times in Rus' from birch bark They made things that were necessary for the household and convenient – they wove baskets and boxes. And in birch bark tues they stored honey and berries, sour cream and butter... Everything remained fresh for a long time in such “packaging”.
And also from birch bark did caskets And caskets, all kinds of boxes, dishes and even bast shoes. They were painted with bright, cheerful colors: they painted flowers and berries, green twigs and fabulous birds, animals unknown or well known. Sometimes a real picture was born under the master’s brush: buffoon jokers played balalaikas, bears danced... You can’t take your eyes off the beautiful pattern, colorful ornament...
– an excellent material for cutting thin lace patterns with a sharp knife. It seems that this beauty was woven by a skilled lacemaker. Such openwork birch bark “lace” was used to decorate caskets, caskets, powder compacts and boxes, vases and cups. And to emphasize the whimsical pattern and design, craftsmen sometimes placed colored foil or pieces of mica under the birch bark “lace”.
They also pressed patterns on birch bark with special stamps. This is called embossing. This method made products made from it especially elegant.
It has long been used for the manufacture of various household and artistic products. Birch bark letters found during excavations in Veliky Novgorod and other Russian cities have survived to this day. Birch bark products were decorated with painting, carving, and embossing.
Birch bark trades were widespread throughout our country. The traditions of making artistic products from birch bark have been preserved in the northern and northeastern regions of the European part of Russia, in the Volga region, Siberia, and Yakutia.
And today, in the XXI century, interest in ancient folk crafts and the art of our ancestors has not faded. We admire the talent of the masters who gave us beauty. And it doesn’t matter at all that it is made not from gold and silver, but from ordinary, modest, but also magical birch bark.
Origin Mezen painting still remains a mystery. Some researchers compare it with the painting of the Komi Republic, others believe that it originated from ancient Greek images. Painting researcher V.S. Voronov, for example, said about it: “This is an ornament that has preserved in its elements the deepest remnants of the archaic ancient Greek styles, covering the surfaces of wooden objects with thick lace.” It is very problematic to establish this in our time, because perhaps more than one hundred years have passed since the Mezen painting appeared. It became known about it in 1904, but, of course, painting originated much earlier. The unusual nature of the painting, its graphic nature, and the primitive-conventional interpretation of the images of horses and birds encourage researchers to look for the origins of Mezen painting in the art of neighboring northern peoples and in rock paintings. V.S. Voronov, studying the styles of folk painting on wood in different regions of Russia, singled out Mezen as “mysterious and curious,” pointing out its connections with ancient Greek styles.
The origins of this type of painting lead to the lower reaches of the Mezen River in the Arkhangelsk region. Various household utensils were painted with it - spinning wheels, ladles, boxes, chests, caskets. Since the end of the 19th century, the village of Palashchelye became the center of Mezen painting, therefore Mezen wood painting is also known as "palace painting".
Area Mezen painting very extensive. In addition to the Mezen basin with Vashka, it includes in the west the areas of Pinega and the lower reaches of the Northern Dvina to the Onega Peninsula, and in the east - the Izhma and Pechora basins. Here you can find spinning wheels with Mezen painting not only from Palashchelye, but also from other villages.
Most often, Mezen paintings depicted figures of deer, horses, and less often people, but only the silhouette of a person was painted. Despite the fact that everything in this painting is simple and concise, you can write a whole essay with drawings, convey some kind of message with signs. After all, there are many signs of the elements, luminaries, earth, as well as the protection and replenishment of the family. Knowing their decoding, you can read each work.
Basically in the old days they painted spinning wheels. Mezen spinning wheels were truly unique. Firstly, if ordinary spinning wheels consisted of three parts: a bottom, a riser and a blade, then in Mezen spinning wheels were made in one piece, for which they selected trees whose roots could become the bottom.
And secondly, the drawings themselves were unique. Scientists believe that the front part of the spinning wheel, depicted very strictly, is divided into three parts using geometric patterns: heaven, earth and the underworld. Birds and the so-called “window” were depicted in the sky, with the help of which one could communicate with God. Then row after row of horses and deer or a tree were depicted, often with a bird sitting on the top of its head. In the underworld, deer and horses were also painted, but shaded with black paint. And on the reverse side, the artist, strictly maintaining the levels, could make inscriptions, for example: “To whom I love, I give.” Spinning wheels with similar messages were given by a husband to his wife for a wedding or for the birth of a child. By the way, only men were engaged in painting, passing this art down from generation to generation.
Traditionally, objects painted with Mezen painting have only two colors - red and black (soot and ocher, later red lead). The painting was applied to unprimed wood with a special wooden stick (vice), a capercaillie or black grouse feather, or a human hair brush. Then the product dried, which gave it a golden color. At present, in general, the technology and technique of Mezen painting have been preserved, with the exception that brushes have begun to be used more often. Some internal difference modern Mezen painting You can feel the old style also because initially painting was done only by men, whereas in our time it is more done by women.
Now Mezen painting is practiced in almost all of Russia, and in some schools it is included in the fine arts curriculum.
Balalaika - Russian folk three-string plucked musical instrument, with triangular wooden body shapes. Balalaika has become an integral musical symbol of Russia. The history of the origin of the balalaika goes back centuries and is not clear-cut. Some believe that this instrument was invented in Rus', while other historians claim that history of the balalaika originates from the Kyrgyz-Kaisak folk instrument - dombra. Same word "balalaika" causes a lot of speculation and controversy. The most basic hypothesis is that the word “balalaika” has the same root as such words as balacat, balabonit, balabolit, balagurit, which means to chat, empty ring. All these words convey the uniqueness of this folk instrument: light, funny, “strumming”, not very serious.
Most historians hold that balalaika was invented around 1715, but there are many historical documents talking about an earlier history of the creation of the balalaika. The first written mention of the balalaika is contained in a document dated June 13, 1688 - “Memory from the Streletsky Prikaz to the Little Russian Prikaz”, which mentions the peasant Ivashko Dmitriev playing the balalaika. The following tracking document history of the balalaika, just dates back to 1715. This is a “Register” signed by Peter I, dating back to 1715: in St. Petersburg, during the celebration of the clownish wedding of the “prince-papa” N.M. Zolotov, in addition to other instruments carried by the mummers, four balalaikas were named.
Still balalaika experienced different periods of her stories. Either this folk instrument was forgotten, or with renewed vigor it became popular in all villages and hamlets. Why is it that Russian people are so attracted to the sounds of this instrument? Perhaps these cheerful, strumming, light and funny sounds helped our ancestors forget about the whole hardship of peasant life, or maybe these sounds conveyed the whole essence of life in Rus' and now, having heard the sound of the balalaika, we can easily look at history through the eyes of our ancestors. Who knows what ups and downs await this unique Russian folk instrument, but now we can say with confidence that the balalaika is the most recognizable in the whole world Russian folk instrument.
The creativity of the Russian people, thanks to the talents of local craftsmen, glorified them throughout Rus' and far beyond its borders. Many products have remained symbols of Russia to this day.
The products of the masters are valuable not only for the materials from which they were made and the unique technologies for their manual processing, but they reflect the morals, way of life and traditions of the entire people.
The main crafts of Russian folk crafts:
As a craft, lace in Rus' began to develop at the beginning of the 19th century. At this time, a lace factory was erected in the vicinity of Vologda. The growing demand for Vologda lace not only in Russia, but also in European countries gave rise to the popularity of the activity, and weaving openwork fabric was practiced throughout Vologda.
A distinctive feature of Vologda lace was its ornaments. The main motifs were stylized drawings of birds and the tree of life. The lace itself consisted of a background and a pattern. It was textured, its shapes and patterns were emphasized by a wide continuous line.
The history of Pavloposad shawls dates back to the end of the 17th century. They began to be produced at the manufactory, the founders of which were Gryaznov and Labzin. The raw material for production was woolen threads; for a long time, the coloring of scarves was done exclusively by hand.
The main patterns of scarves are flowers. In addition to them, borrowed ornaments were used: Turkish cucumbers, lotus, antique vases and ancient symbols. The traditional layout was represented by ovals and stars. Large drawings were located at the edges, becoming smaller towards the center.
The popularity of the traditional Orenburg down scarf is due to its unique qualities. They are the finest shawls made of natural wool, with openwork and beautiful patterns, very warm. For their production, the unique down of Orenburg goats is initially used.
The first official mention of scarves is found in the works of the late 18th century, authored by Rychkov, a famous local historian. It was they who made it possible to learn about unique shawls in St. Petersburg and Moscow and created a demand for them both in Russia and abroad.
Russian doll
The original Russian nesting doll first saw the light of day in Sergiev Posad at the end of the 19th century. It was made from wood by turner Vasily Zvezdochkin. The figures, which were inserted into one another, were painted by Sergei Malyutin.
The first copy of the future symbol of Russia in the form of a round-faced girl with a crimson blush consisted of eight dolls. The smallest one was a baby.
A distinctive feature of Gusev crystal is the unique edges of the products. Rays of light, refracted through them, create a play reminiscent of the shimmer of precious stones.
The birthplace of Gusev crystal is Gus-Khrustalny. The glass factory on its territory was founded by the merchant Maltsev in 1756. They produced vases and decanters, and then unique crystal dishes appeared, which were supplied to rich merchant houses and royal mansions.
Tula samovar
A samovar is a unique product that has no analogues in the world. The birthplace of samovars is Tula. The city gained such fame for a reason; this was facilitated by the abundance of metal workers, iron ore deposits and proximity to Moscow.
Tula samovars were made from brass and copper and were sold by weight. Their shape was sometimes quite bizarre. The products looked like barrels and vases with handles, and there were also samovars with unique taps in the shape of dolphins.
Tula gingerbread. Sour, fresh, fluffy and rich. They were given as parting gifts, souvenirs, and also baked and purchased for wedding festivities and memorial evenings. To produce shaped baked goods, mold boards cut from natural wood were used.
Gingerbread was a favorite delicacy for the Russian people. They were made in the form of birds, fish, letters and even names. It is unknown who was the first to bake the famous Tula gingerbread. The first mentions of baking are in works of the late 17th century.
The Urals are famous for their mineral reserves and related industries. Kasli artistic casting of Russian masters made them famous throughout the world in 1900 at an exhibition in Paris. The direction itself originated long before this event, in the 18th century.
Household items and decorative interior elements were cast from cast iron, complemented by miniature sculptures of animals. The list of manufactured goods included slabs, gratings, benches, flowerpots and much more.
The history of the production of malachite products begins in the 40s of the 18th century. At first these were jewelry, then snuff boxes and caskets were added to them. With the heyday of the malachite business, entire rooms were lined with beautiful patterned minerals.
Russian craftsmen were famous for their unique stone processing technology. They sawed the malachite into very thin plates and then, gluing them, selected the pattern and polished them, creating the impression of a monolithic product.
Abramtsevo-Kudrinskaya carving
Abramtsevo-Kudrinskaya carving was considered a special type of craft among Russian craftsmen at the end of the 19th century. Craftsmen worked with natural wood, creating from it not just household items, but works of art. The list of their products included vases, decorative dishes, ladles, salt shakers, boxes, etc.
What distinguished the products from other carved decorative and household items was the combination of geometric and flat-relief carvings.
Skopino pottery was not in great demand for a long time, as it was crude and primitive in form. The turning point occurred in the middle of the 19th century, when local pottery masters learned the secrets of producing figured products and applying glaze to their surface.
A number of clay products were complemented by beautiful decorative vases, fancy animal figurines and other decorative elements.
Russian folk art post
16 most beautiful types of folk art in Russia
Folk crafts are exactly what makes our culture rich and unique. Foreign tourists take with them painted objects, toys and textile products in memory of our country.
Almost every corner of Russia has its own type of needlework, and in this material we have collected the brightest and most famous of them.
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The Dymkovo toy is a symbol of the Kirov region, emphasizing its rich and ancient history. It is molded from clay, then dried and fired in a kiln. After that, it is painted by hand, each time creating a unique copy. There cannot be two identical toys.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Vishnyakov brothers lived in one of the Moscow villages of the former Troitskaya volost (now Mytishchi district), and they were engaged in painting lacquered metal trays, sugar bowls, pallets, papier-mâché boxes, cigarette cases, teapots, albums and other things. Since then, artistic painting in the Zhostovo style has begun to gain popularity and attract attention at numerous exhibitions in our country and abroad.
Khokhloma is one of the most beautiful Russian crafts, which originated in the 17th century near Nizhny Novgorod. This is a decorative painting of furniture and wooden utensils, which is loved not only by connoisseurs of Russian antiquity, but also by residents of foreign countries.
The intricately intertwined herbal patterns of bright scarlet berries and golden leaves on a black background can be admired endlessly. Therefore, even traditional wooden spoons, presented on the most insignificant occasion, leave the recipient with the kindest and longest memory of the donor.
Gorodets painting has existed since the mid-19th century. Bright, laconic patterns reflect genre scenes, figurines of horses, roosters, flowers and ornaments. The painting is done in a free stroke with a white and black graphic outline; it decorates spinning wheels, furniture, shutters, and doors.
Known deposits of malachite are in the Urals, Africa, South Australia and the USA, but in terms of color and beauty of patterns, malachite from foreign countries cannot be compared with that from the Urals. Therefore, malachite from the Urals is considered the most valuable on the world market.
Products made at the Gus-Khrustalny crystal factory can be found in museums all over the world. Traditional Russian souvenirs, household items, sets for the festive table, elegant jewelry, boxes, and handmade figurines reflect the beauty of our native nature, its customs and primordially Russian values. Products made from colored crystal are especially popular.
Matryoshka
A round-faced and plump cheerful girl in a headscarf and Russian folk dress won the hearts of lovers of folk toys and beautiful souvenirs around the world.
Nowadays, the nesting doll is not just a folk toy, a keeper of Russian culture: it is a memorable souvenir for tourists, on the apron of which play scenes, fairy tale plots and landscapes with attractions are finely drawn. The matryoshka doll has become a precious collectible that can cost hundreds of dollars.
Vintage brooches, bracelets, pendants, which quickly “entered” modern fashion, are nothing more than jewelry made using the enamel technique. This type of applied art originated in the 17th century in the Vologda region.
Masters depicted floral patterns, birds, and animals on white enamel using a variety of paints. Then the art of multi-color enamel began to be lost, and monochromatic enamel began to supplant it: white, blue and green. Now both styles are successfully combined.
In his free time, Fyodor Lisitsyn, an employee of the Tula Arms Factory, loved to make something out of copper, and once made a samovar. Then his sons opened a samovar establishment where they sold copper products, which were wildly successful.
The Lisitsyn samovars were famous for their variety of shapes and finishes: barrels, vases with chasing and engraving, egg-shaped samovars, with dolphin-shaped taps, with loop-shaped handles, and painted ones.
Palekh miniature is a special, subtle, poetic vision of the world, which is characteristic of Russian folk beliefs and songs. The painting uses brown-orange and bluish-green tones.
Palekh painting has no analogues in the whole world. It is done on papier-mâché and only then transferred to the surface of boxes of various shapes and sizes.
The Gzhel bush, an area of 27 villages located near Moscow, is famous for its clay, which has been mined here since the mid-17th century. In the 19th century, Gzhel craftsmen began to produce semi-faience, earthenware and porcelain. Of particular interest are still items painted in one color - blue overglaze paint applied with a brush, with graphic detailing.
Bright and light, feminine Pavloposad shawls are always fashionable and relevant. This folk craft appeared at the end of the 18th century at a peasant enterprise in the village of Pavlovo, from which a shawl manufactory subsequently developed. It produced woolen shawls with printed patterns, which were very popular at that time.
Nowadays, original designs are complemented by various elements such as fringe, are created in different colors and remain an excellent accessory to almost any look.
Vologda lace is woven on wooden sticks and bobbins. All images are made with dense, continuous, uniform width, smoothly curling linen braid. They stand out clearly against the background of patterned lattices, decorated with elements in the form of stars and rosettes.
Shemogodskaya carving is a traditional Russian folk art craft of birch bark carving. The ornaments of Shemogod carvers are called “birch bark lace” and are used in the manufacture of boxes, teapots, pencil cases, cases, dishes, plates, and cigarette cases.
The symmetrical pattern of Shemogod carving consists of floral patterns, circles, rhombuses, and ovals. The drawing can include images of birds or animals, architectural motifs, and sometimes even scenes of walking in the garden and drinking tea.
Tula gingerbread is a Russian delicacy. Without these sweet and fragrant products, not a single event took place in Rus' - neither funny nor sad. Gingerbread was served both at the royal table and at the peasant table. The traditional shape is given to the gingerbread using a board with a carved ornament.
The scarves are knitted from natural goat down and are amazingly soft, beautiful, warm and practical. Openwork web scarves are so thin and elegant that they can be threaded through a wedding ring. They are valued by women all over the world and are considered a wonderful gift.
In our huge country, rich in various natural materials and multinational human resources, over time a lot of new directions have emerged folk crafts. Even crafts borrowed from their “neighbors” acquired a certain uniqueness, motifs that were characteristic, sometimes, only in a certain area. Russian folk crafts are our heritage, which you must know and honor in order to preserve traditional Russian culture and bring a lot of new things to it.
Artistic folk crafts require a separate description. There are countless types of crafts, but not all of the products produced are highly artistic. But here the line is very blurred, if it exists at all. Let's figure it out.
The lack of a clear definition of artistic crafts and artistic products only means that fewer and fewer people are involved in this issue. - creative activity of artisans aimed at creating unique and inimitable objects using their hand tools, skills, ingenuity and inner sense of beauty. Accordingly, artistic products are the result of the creative work of an artisan.
Why do I put creativity at the forefront of everything? I believe that as soon as products begin to be stamped and copied, they automatically cease to be artistic. How unpleasant it is for me to see copies of the same subject in an art store! This is stamping! An artist is always searching; he cannot have the same painting. Likewise, for any artisan, each product is unique. A craftsman is able to identify his work among the whole variety of seemingly identical objects.
So, a master approached me with a question, who saw a photograph of the product in the gallery on the website. I took this photo in a kindergarten in my home village. The master identified his work and together we found out how this item could have ended up on my site.
Let's summarize. Among any craft, individual artistic directions can be distinguished; any artistic craft can be lost along with the creative streak. I'm not saying at all that the conveyor belt is bad. There is a place for it too, but you cannot lose the desire to create something new and unique.
Classification of types of crafts
You are already familiar with some types of crafts. Of course, you have heard about products made from birch bark, wood, and metal. So, types of folk crafts are primarily formed from product material. This includes processing of metal, wood, stone, clay and other materials.
Another gradation of types of folk crafts is already narrower than the previous one - division by processing method one or another material. In this article we will look at several main types of craft. In the future, this article will be supplemented with more detailed information, but for now it will only be a brief introductory material.
I don’t think there is a clear division, and some crafts can only be formulated relatively. In addition, now the types of folk crafts in Russia have been supplemented with new directions. I don’t know whether it is possible to call the handicrafts that have taken root in our time a traditional craft. But let's get back to what I know. I will build a list of types of craft exactly as I wanted: main sections by the name of the material, and subcategories by the method of processing. All of the listed types can be artistic folk crafts.
1. Tree
There is a lot of wealth in the vastness of the Russian land. One of the available ones is undoubtedly wood. It is accessible not only because it covers most of the territory, but also because of its processing methods. Agree, some types of processing do not require complex devices and devices. Hence the variety of types and subtypes of crafts associated with the use of wood.
- Wood carving. There are several types of wood carving:
- Flat grooved thread (contour, staple, geometric, etc.);
- Relief carving (flat relief carving, blind carving, Kudrinskaya carving, etc.);
- Through thread (slotted and sawn);
- Sculptural carving (volumetric);
- House carving (can combine several types);
- Milling. Processing on a lathe, milling machine;
- Birch bark carving;
- Embossing on birch bark;
- Manufacturing of tues;
- Souvenir production(amulets, jewelry, accessories, toys and pictures);
2. Metal
When the metal and its properties were discovered, a technology revolution occurred. Many household items and tools were replaced with metal ones. This did not displace other materials; far from it, it made it possible to process them more efficiently. And thanks to the properties of metal, the range of handicraft products has increased several times. Metal processing is technically much more complex than wood, but it is worth it and at the moment we can clearly formulate methods of metal processing:
- Forging;
- Engraving;
- Coinage;
- Blackening;
- Casting;
- Filigree(brazed, openwork, volumetric);
- Milling. Processing on a lathe, milling machine.
3. Clay
A natural material that is no less widespread than wood. This type of material suffers from a small number of types of processing, which also affects the variety of clay products. Most of the items are dishes, and the rest are sculptures and souvenirs. But the plasticity and ease of processing of the material, along with its accessibility, allow a small number of types of products to be given the most incredible shapes.
- Pottery art;
4. Stone.
Very difficult to process. Due to the rarity of some materials and difficulties in processing, the cost of products is so high. Take a sculpture for example. Works of art from the Middle Ages are priceless, even though they are made of marble or plaster. The number of craftsmen is much smaller than the number of, say, woodcarvers. And not every stone is suitable for processing. However, stone products, be it a precious stone or a huge granite, are truly impressive and delightful.
- Sculpture;
- Thread;
- Gypsum(ebb of reliefs and volumetric figures);
5. Bone
Carved bone boxes are amazing. Intricate patterns and plots can be viewed endlessly. But the distribution of this type of folk craft greatly depends on the territory. Not every bone is suitable for processing, not all animals have the necessary valuable body parts, and all this is aggravated by the fact that many animal species are rare and must be protected.
- Thread;
6. Thread
Few types of folk crafts can be called exclusively female. Working with thread can be considered one of them. Making items from thread requires incredible perseverance and concentration. When creating the most complex patterns and objects, one cannot do without arithmetic and cutting skills, since loops love counting, and most products are clothing, to which certain important requirements of fashion, convenience, practicality and beauty apply.
- Knitting;
- Weaving;
- Lace;
- Embroidery;
7. Leather
Leather products can be found less and less often. The price and the possibility of replacement with artificial polymers affected the spread of this type of craft. I don't remember seeing a true handmade piece of leather art lately. Nevertheless, in recent times this material was used to manually create artistic products. Mostly ordinary objects were decorated with inserts of multi-colored leather, compositions and patterns were created.
- Manufacturing of clothing and shoes;
- Embossing;
- Thread;
Often craftsmen combined several types of craft in one product. Thus, birch bark tues could be decorated with embossing, carving, painting, as well as their wooden lids, carved stone was enclosed in a metal frame, and clay products were supplemented with various materials to create fancy compositions.
This is not a complete list of types of crafts. There are a lot of subspecies, the characteristics of which have their roots in relation to the nationality of peoples, and geographical location, and even species of animals and plants common near the villages of masters.
We will try to consider many of the listed folk crafts using examples and master classes that reflect the features of technologies and work methods. And I ask you, my dear reader, for a favor: if you have the opportunity to contribute to the development of traditional crafts and arts, be sure to tell others about it. This can be done on this resource. A site about folk crafts is looking for talent.