Famous centers of folk crafts in Russia

Bogorodsk carved toy.

The village of Bogorodskoye near Moscow is located near the city of Sergiev Posad. The craft of carved wooden toys originated in the 16th and 17th centuries. There are two types of toys: sculpture toys and moving toys. The manner of Bogorodsk carving is precise, sharp, the trace of the cutter is clearly visible. As a rule, the toy was not painted, keeping the natural warm color of the wood, but sometimes painted toys were made. The themes are varied: peasants, hunters, soldiers, animals and birds, scenes from everyday life, fairy tales.

Gorodets painting.

This art craft developed by the middle of the 19th century in the ancient Volga city of Gorodets. The custom of decorating household items, spinning wheels, shutters, gates with carvings, painting and inlay has developed a very long time ago. Later they began to paint chests, furniture, dishes and wooden toys. The features of Gorodets painting are pure bright colors, a clear outline, white strokes that give a conditional volume and picturesqueness. Gorodets masters depicted not only floral ornaments (flowers, leaves, grass, tree of life), but also fairy-tale characters, genre scenes: tea parties, boating and carousels ...

Khokhloma painting.

Already in the 17th century, fairs were held in the village of Khokhloma, where they traded wooden painted utensils made in the villages and villages of the Nizhny Novgorod Territory. Khokhloma painting is distinguished by a characteristic combination of golden color with black, red, green, sometimes brown and orange. Depict plants, berries, fruits, birds and fish. The pattern fills almost the entire surface. The background can be gold, red, black.

Gzhel ceramics.

Skilled potters have long lived in the village of Gzhel, a few dozen kilometers from Moscow. From the middle of the 18th century, Gzhel masters mastered the production of majolica painted on a white background. The painting was often supplemented with sculptural images of people, animals, birds. From the 19th century, painting (flower pattern) began to be done mainly in cobalt blue on white. Sometimes, in addition to flower garlands, Gzhel artists depict fabulous birds, landscapes, and pictures from folk life.

Skopinsky ceramics.

Archaeological research has shown that already in the 17th century in the area of ​​​​the city of Skopin, Ryazan region, pottery already existed. The peculiarity of Skopino ceramics is that handmade products were supplemented with stucco images of birds, fish, and fantastic animals. Sometimes the product itself was in the form of an animal or a bird. In addition, dishes (pots, lids, jugs, bowls, mugs, candlesticks) were decorated with floral ornaments and covered with brown, green or yellow glaze. Outwardly, the products resemble the branches of an old tree covered with thick relief bark.

Filimonov toy.

The village of Filimonovo is located in Tula Oblast From ancient times, dishes and toys were made here from local light pottery clay. Forms of toys are original, unusual. The figurines are somewhat elongated, 3-4 colors predominate in the painting. The painting itself is an alternation of horizontal stripes on a white, yellow background. Circles, rosettes, triangles, zigzags, dots are also used in the ornament. Toys depicted birds, fabulous animals, horsemen, ladies, everyday scenes (bride and groom, riding a troika, etc.)

Dymkovo toy.

The name of the fishery is associated with the Dymkovskaya Sloboda near the city of Vyatka (now Dymkovo - the outskirts of Kirov). Riders, ladies in beautiful dresses with colored frills, gentlemen, fairy-tale characters, animals, everyday scenes are depicted. The poses and the figures themselves are somewhat arbitrary, simplified. The painting uses bright colors, usually on a white background, gilding. The ornament uses circles, wavy lines, stripes, cells.

Zhostovo trays.

Zhostovo art craft is decorative painting on metal trays. The craft originated in the village of Zhostovo (Moscow region). First, the Zhostovo craftsmen painted papier-mâché items, then they began to make metal trays painted with oil paints and lacquer. Plots of painting - floral, floral ornaments, landscapes, scenes from folk life. Roses, peonies, poppies, asters, dahlias, forget-me-nots, violets and other flowers, bunches of grapes, baskets of ripe fruits and berries were depicted. The shape of the trays is varied.

Kasli iron casting.

The smelting and steel plant in the city of Kasli, Chelyabinsk region, has been operating since the middle of the 18th century. The factory produced fences, gratings, dishes and even furniture. Kasli casters created not only monumental structures, but also small sculptures and decorative objects. The cast-iron sculptures turned out to be elegant: clothes flowed softly, elastic muscles rolled - the cast iron seemed to come to life.

Folk arts and crafts date back to antiquity, to home crafts and village crafts. Later, handicrafts worked for the market, as well as private workshops, which were involved in the system of the capitalist market and often could not withstand the competition of factory goods, were formed. At the end of XIX - beginning of XX centuries. in many countries, the revival of folk art crafts began, including in Russia. In our country, there is a special state program to support and revive native Russian folk crafts, including: Khokhloma, Gzhel, Zhostovo trays, Birch bark, Fedoskino caskets, Samovars, Balalaikas, Gorodets painting.

But, first of all, it is worth finding out where these, rightfully, 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 come down to our times!

On the Uzol River, in the ancient forests of the Volga region, there are ancient Russian villages - Novopokrovskoye, Khryashchi, Kuligino, Semino. From here, the world-famous Khokhloma craft leads its history. These villages are still inhabited by master artists who paint wooden utensils, continuing the traditions of their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers.

However, researchers have not yet been able to establish the time of the appearance of the Khokhloma painting. After all, wooden dishes and other utensils were not stored for a long time. From frequent use, it wore out, fell into disrepair. It was thrown away or burned, replacing it with a new one. The products of Khokhloma masters have come down to us, mainly only in the 19th century. But various documentary evidence indicates that the fishery originated at an earlier time, possibly in the 17th century.

The original Khokhloma technique, where painting with cinnabar and black paint was performed on a golden background, finds analogies in ancient Russian art.

There is a mention in the documents that at the end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th centuries in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, at the solemn reception of guests, wooden ladles decorated with gold and cinnabar, as well as goblets were brought to them.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Trans-Volga lands were assigned to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, among which Khokhloma was located. The peasants not only saw this gilded dish, but could also know how it was dyed. But the Khokhloma masters had their own way 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 of Khokhloma painting spoke of this craft in the following way: (The very nature of the painting, imitating gold and silver dishes, was suggested by the decorative art of Ancient Rus' ... Khokhloma was probably only a late reflection of this great art ...)

In the 19th century, the trade 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 the Semenovsky and Balakna districts of the Nizhny Novgorod province, Makaryinsky and Varnavinsky - Kostroma were engaged in the manufacture of dishes and other household items. Among them was something like a division of labor. In one village, wood was processed, in another, a drawing was applied.

The earliest Khokhloma works 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. 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 supplies and barreled salt shakers and many spoons.

Cheap everyday dishes could be distinguished by simple patterns applied with special stamps made of felt fabric or raincoat mushroom. These are spirals, diamonds, small rosettes and leaves.

More expensive things were painted by hand with a brush, creating various compositions of herbal ornaments, where slightly curving thin red and black twigs are rhythmically combined with lush feathery blades of grass.

Sometimes red-black fluffy grass complemented the main ornamental motif of a curly large stem, each curl of which ended with a red berry.

In the 1960s, multi-object sets and services began to be made.

Modern Khokhloma has rightfully received wide recognition not only in our country, but also far beyond its borders. Table sets, cups, spoons and furniture decorated with bright painting are exhibited at many major international exhibitions. And always this unique cheerful art finds love and understanding of people of all nationalities.

There is a village of Zhostovo in the Moscow region, whose inhabitants 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. Gathered in bouquets or freely spread out on a brilliant black background, garden and wild flowers decorate the tray and bring people a sense 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, is indifferent to flowers, their beauty, aroma, the great power of life contained in them. This topic is close to everyone, which is why there are so many admirers of Zhostovo's talent not only in our country, but also abroad.

And once, at the beginning of the 19th century, when opening the first workshop for the production of papier-mâché products in Zhostovo, the 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. Here, an original art of decorative painting has developed, which absorbed the traditions of folk paintings on household items and easel pictorial still life, in its own way understood and processed by folk craftsmen. The first trays were made of papier-mâché, as well as the boxes, snuffboxes, stamps and caskets produced with them. At first, the painting that adorned them was the same - landscapes painted from engravings and paintings, summer and winter troikas of horses, tea parties at the table. Placed on a black background in the center of the field, they were well read by the silhouettes of figures, local color spots.

In the 1830s, trays in Zhostovo began to be made of metal. The idea of ​​replacing papier-mâché with a more durable Zhostovo material was suggested by the trays of Nizhny Tagil, the center of their production, which was famous back in the 18th century. In the 19th century, trays were made in Tagil, decorated with floral ornaments, typical for objects of the Ural folk painted utensils.

Petersburg became another well-known center for the production of trays. Here, trays of figured forms were in vogue, a complex pattern depicting flowers, fruits, birds among various shells and whimsical curls.

The Zhostovo masters took into account the experience of the painters of Nizhny Tagil and St. Petersburg, but not only used the styles and techniques they liked, but created their own unique style and character of decorating trays on their basis. It took shape in the 1870s and 1880s.

At this time, the demand for trays in the cities increased. In taverns, drinking establishments and hotels, trays were used for their intended purpose, and as interior decoration. Tray production in Zhostovo gradually separated from papier-mâché lacquer miniatures. Many workshops arose that produced trays for sale in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other areas. Since then and until now, Zhostovo and the surrounding villages have been a kind of reserves for this unique art.

The collection of 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 features 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 hallmark of the workshop in which it was made. From this brand you can find out the name of the owner of the workshop, and from it you can determine the time the tray was created.

At a distance of 50-60 kilometers to the north-east of Moscow, in the Ramenskoye district, along the Yegoryevskoye highway, there are two dozen beautiful villages and villages that have merged with each other.

Gzhel is the name of one of the villages - the former volost center, which has become collective for the entire district, a symbol of unique art and folk craftsmanship.

Gzhel is the name given to highly artistic porcelain products produced in these places, 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, for centuries, as one of the most profitable volosts, Gzhel was inherited in the family of the great Moscow princes and tsars, bringing them considerable income.

Back in the 16th century, the Gzhel people brought surplus household utensils to Moscow, as well as their clay to Moscow potters in the Yauzskaya Sloboda, some remained there and worked. They also went to Moscow fairs and auctions. We got acquainted at the auction with imported products of masters 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 took shape.

By the 70s - 80s of the 18th century, Gzhel became the center of production of artistic majolica in Russia. The fact is that since the opening of the manufactory by Afanasy Grebenshchikov in 1724, many Gzhelians 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 white masses with impurities of others using a new technology. varieties of clays and mineral additives.

Original Gzhel products were in constant demand. Peasants-handicraftsmen worked from dawn to dusk, dealing with clay and creating things necessary in everyday life from it. Each of them had his own style, and creating products, he brought his own vision of the world around. The dignity of dishes, toys was determined by the tastes of buyers and was controlled by their demand. The popularity of Gzhel products meant that their requirements 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 Kolomna, Serpukhov and other districts of the Moscow province.

The end of the 18th century was the heyday of the Gzhel majolica; local craftsmen achieved especially great art in the manufacture of jugs, kumgans, kvass. The work required great patience and skill. The painting did not allow corrections and alterations, as it was carried out on a soft, unburnt shard covered with white enamel. The Gzhel people also produced separately small majolica plastics, which often reflected typical scenes of their life, compositions filled with humor, soldiers, peasant women, fashionistas and dandies engaged in one or another business. The plots were expressive and intelligible, conquered by the clarity of ideas, the naivety of their creators - simple craftsmen.

For many decades, the Gzhel people have been creating tiles of amazing beauty and variety of paintings for decorating stoves and fireplaces. Over 500 of their specimens are now kept in the Hermitage collection.

Many Gzhel masters participated in the creation of pottery in other places in Russia.

Gzhel semi-faience was tried to be made in the last years of the 18th century. Items made of this material imported from abroad were so expensive that only a few could buy them, but they involuntarily pushed the Gzhel people 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 solid shard, which greatly facilitated, speeded up work and accelerated marriage.

Semi-faience has become as remarkable an artistic phenomenon as majolica. The Gzhelians managed to get white utensils, like faience, at the beginning of the 19th century. By adding lime to their clays, 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.

The Gzhel people did not immediately develop their original style of painting with cobalt, but gradually it reached perfection in semi-faience. The blue color becomes classic, inseparable from the Gzhel semi-faience. It was a new pictorial pictorial language that replaced the contour drawing with polychrome coloring, which was previously used in majolica. Blue paint is best combined with glaze, when fired it gives less marriage, radiates a radiance that is not subject to time. In the painting there are also elements of humanization, 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 took place in Russian ceramic production. Large mechanized factories are now in the lead. Profitability of production, good quality of products and moderate prices made it possible to win the fight in the markets.

In 1926, the number of people working in the porcelain and faience industry in the Gzhel region was 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 ceramic fireplaces are produced, 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 factories 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 increase them. In the semi-fairytale world created by the ceramists of the current 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. In the continuity of the traditions of folk craftsmen, loyalty to them lies the grain of success and popularity of Gzhel ceramics in our time.

The history of Gzhel goes back centuries, and its folk art is destined for a long life, today the famous folk craft is gaining new strength. Gzhel blue birds fly to different parts of the planet to decorate the life of people, to cultivate a sense of beauty.

birch bark

Birch bark Since ancient times in Rus', birch bark was used to make necessary and convenient things for the household - weaved baskets and boxes. And in birch bark boxes they kept honey and berries, sour cream and butter... In such a “packaging” everything remained fresh for a long time.

And they also made caskets and caskets, all kinds of boxes, dishes and even bast shoes from birch bark. They were painted with bright, cheerful colors: they painted flowers and berries, green twigs and fabulous birds, animals unseen or well known. Sometimes a real picture was born under the master’s brush: buffoons played balalaikas, bears danced ... You can’t take your eyes off the beautiful pattern, colorful ornament ...

Birch bark is an excellent material for cutting thin lacy patterns with a sharp knife. It seems that this beauty is woven by a skilled lace maker. Caskets, caskets, powder boxes and boxes, vases and cups were decorated with such openwork birch bark "laces". And in order to emphasize the whimsical pattern and drawing, the craftsmen sometimes put colored foil or pieces of mica under the birch bark “lace”.

And the patterns on the birch bark were squeezed out with special stamps. This is called embossing. This method made products from it especially elegant.

Birch bark has long been used for the manufacture of various household and artistic products. Birch bark letters found during excavations in Veliky Novgorod and other cities of Russia have survived to this day. Birch bark products were decorated with painting, carving, embossing.

Birch bark crafts were widespread throughout our country. The traditions of making art products from birch bark have been preserved in the northern, northeastern regions of the European part of Russia, in the Volga region, Siberia, and Yakutia.

And today, in the 21st century, interest in the ancient folk craft, in the art of our ancestors has not faded away. We admire the talent of the masters who gave us beauty. And it doesn’t matter at all that this is not made of gold and silver, but of ordinary, modest, but also magical birch bark.

The origin of the Mezen painting is still a mystery. Some researchers compare it with the painting of the Komi Republic, others believe that it originated from ancient Greek images. Mural researcher V.S. Voronov, for example, said about her: "This is an ornament that has preserved in its elements the deepest remnants of the archaic ancient Greek styles, covers the surfaces of wooden objects with thick lace." It is very problematic to establish this in our time, because since the Mezen painting appeared, perhaps more than one hundred years have passed. It has become known about it since 1904, but, of course, painting originated much earlier. The unusual nature of the painting, the graphic quality, the primitive conditional interpretation of the images of horses and birds encourage researchers to look for the origins of the Mezen painting in the art of neighboring northern peoples and in rock paintings. V.S. Voronov, studying the styles of folk paintings on wood in different regions of Russia, singled out the Mezen painting as “mysterious and curious”, pointing out its connection with ancient Greek styles.

The origins of this type of painting lead to the lower reaches of the Mezen River in the Arkhangelsk Region. She painted various household utensils - spinning wheels, ladles, boxes, chests, caskets. From the end of the 19th century, the village of Palaschelye became the center of Mezen painting, which is why Mezen wood painting is also known as “Palashchelye painting”.

The area of ​​Mezen painting is very extensive. In addition to the Mezen basin with Vashka, it includes the Pinega and lower reaches of the Northern Dvina to the Onega Peninsula in the west, and the Izhma and Pechora basins in the east. Here you can find spinning wheels with Mezen painting not only from Palaschelye, but also from other villages.

Most often in the Mezen painting they depicted figures of deer, horses, less often people, but they painted only the silhouette of a person. Despite the fact that everything is simple and concise in this painting, 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.

Mostly 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 chose such trees, the root of which 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: sky, earth and the underworld. Birds and the so-called “window” were depicted in the sky, through which one could communicate with God. Further, row after row depicted horses and deer or a tree, often with a bird sitting on top of its head. In the underworld, deer and horses were also painted, but shaded with black paint. And on the wrong side, the artist, strictly maintaining the levels, could make inscriptions, for example: “I give to whom I love.” Distaffs with similar messages were given by the 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 by inheritance from generation to generation.

Traditionally, objects painted with Mezen painting have only two colors - red and black (soot and ocher, later minium). The painting was applied to an unprimed tree with a special wooden stick (vice), capercaillie or black grouse feather, and a human hair brush. Then the product was oiled, which gave it a golden color. At present, in general, the technology and technique of Mezen painting have been preserved, with the exception of the fact that brushes began to be used more often. Some internal difference between the modern Mezen painting and the old one is also felt because initially the painting was done only by men, while in our time women are more involved in it.

Now almost all of Russia is engaged in Mezen painting, and in some schools it is included in the fine arts program.

Gorodets painting on wood, a traditional art craft that developed in the middle of the 19th century in the villages along the Uzol River in the vicinity of Gorodets, Nizhny Novgorod Region.null

The emergence of painting originates in the production of Gorodets spinning bottoms, inlaid with bog oak and decorated with contour carvings. Unlike the widely used spinning wheels, carved from a single wooden monolith, the Gorodets spinning wheels consisted of two parts: a bottom and a comb. The bottom was a wide board, tapering to a head with a pyramidal “spear”, into the hole of which a comb leg was inserted. When the spinning wheel was not being worked on, the comb was removed from the spear, and the bottom was hung on the wall, becoming a kind of decorative panel.

In the middle of the last century, craftsmen began to enliven inlaid bottoms, first only by tinting the background, then by carving, and later by introducing colorful plot drawings. The earliest similar bottom, which has survived to this day, was made by master Lazar Melnikov in 1859. Gradually, painting, technologically simpler, finally replaced labor-intensive inlay. The Gorodets craftsmen transferred to painting not only the plots previously used in incrustation, but also a generalized interpretation of images, prompted by carving techniques. The painting used bright juicy colors of red, yellow, green, black, mixed with liquid carpentry glue. Over time, the range has expanded; in addition to traditional spinning bottoms, they began to make and paint scouring boxes, wooden toys, furniture, even parts of the house, shutters, doors, and gates. In 1880, about 70 people from seven neighboring villages were involved in the fishery. Among the oldest masters who became the initiators of the Gorodets painting, the names of the brothers Melnikov and G. Polyakov were preserved, later painters who preserved the secrets of craft at the beginning of the 20th century, I. A. Mazin, F. S. Krasnoyarov, T. Belyaev, I. A. Chests.

Gradually, original techniques of Gorodets painting were developed, which, in their multi-stage nature, are close to professional painting. Initially, the background is painted, which is also a primer. On a colored background, the master makes “underpainting”, applying the main color spots with a large brush, after which he models the shape with thinner brushes. Finishes the painting with whitewash and black color, uniting the drawing into one whole. The finished plot is usually enclosed in a graphic frame or stroke. In the Gorodets painting there are many simple ornamental motifs - roses, buds, grasses.

With the development of the craft, the subjects of painting, borrowed, apparently, from popular prints, were significantly enriched. In addition to traditional horses, there were tea parties, festivities, scenes from city life, characters from folk tales, battle scenes inspired by the Russian-Turkish war.

The Gorodetsky fishery lasted about fifty years. Its heyday falls on the 1890s, when the production of Donets reached 4 thousand per year, but by the beginning of the 20th century, the fishery fell into decline. After World War I, painting production ceased completely, and even the most famous painters were forced to look for other ways to earn money.

The revival of the Gorodets painting is associated with the name of the artist I. I. Oveshkov, who arrived in the Gorky region in 1935 from Zagorsk. Through his efforts, a public workshop was opened in the village of Koskovo, bringing together old painters. Oveshkov took over not only the management of the workshop, but also organized professional training for artists. With his direct participation, the expansion of the range of painted products - boxes, wall cabinets for dishes, high chairs, folding screens - began. In 1937, the Gorodets masters participated in the exhibition "Folk Art", held at the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, where modern products were demonstrated next to the Donets of the 19th century.

In 1951, the Stakhanovets carpentry and furniture artel was opened in the village of Kurtsevo, headed by the hereditary painter A. E. Konovalov from Gorodetsk. Artel took up the manufacture of furniture with motives of traditional painting of cabinets, bedside tables, stools, tables; the range is constantly expanding. In 1960, the artel was transformed into the Gorodets painting factory.

Currently, the factory produces painted rocking toys, children's furniture, decorative panels, dishes, turning utensils. Although the functional purpose of the Gorodets products has changed, traditional motifs and images, long-legged horses, riders, magical birds, flowers-cups have been preserved in their paintings.

History of the balalaika

Balalaika is a Russian folk three-stringed plucked musical instrument with a triangular wooden body. Balalaika has become an integral musical symbol of Russia. The history of the origin of the balalaika is rooted in the depths of centuries and is not unambiguous. Some believe that this instrument was invented in Rus', while other historians argue that the history of the balalaika originates from the folk instrument of the Kirghiz-Kaisaks - dombra. Also, the very word "balalaika" causes a lot of conjecture and controversy. The most basic hypothesis is that the word "balalaika" has the same root with words such as balakat, balabonit, balabolit, joking, which means chatting, empty calls. All these words convey the uniqueness of this folk instrument - light, funny, "strumming", not very serious.

Most historians believe that the balalaika was invented around 1715, but there are many historical documents that speak of an earlier history of the balalaika. The first written mention of the balalaika is contained in a document dated June 13, 1688 - “Memory from the Streltsy order to the Little Russian order”, which mentions the peasant Ivashko Dmitriev playing the balalaika. The next document tracing the history of the balalaika refers to 1715. This is the “Register” signed by Peter I, dating back to 1715: in St. Petersburg, during the celebration of the jester’s wedding of “Prince-Papa” N.M. Zolotov, in addition to other instruments carried by the mummers, four balalaikas were named.

Until now, the balalaika has experienced different periods of its history. Either this folk instrument was forgotten, or it became popular with renewed vigor in all villages and villages. What is it that attracts Russian people to the sounds of this instrument? Perhaps these cheerful, strumming, light and funny sounds helped our ancestors forget about the whole burden of peasant life, or maybe these sounds conveyed the whole essence of life in Rus' and now, having heard the sound of a 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 Russian folk instrument in the whole world.

Russian folk art post
16 most beautiful types of Russian folk art

Folk crafts are exactly what makes our culture rich and unique. Painted objects, toys and fabric products are taken away by foreign tourists 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. No two toys are the same.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Vishnyakov brothers lived in one of the villages near Moscow in the former Troitskaya volost (now the Mytishchi district), and they painted lacquered metal trays, sugar bowls, pallets, papier-mâché boxes, cigarette cases, tea caddies, albums and other things. Since then, artistic painting in the Zhostovo style began 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.

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 kindest and longest memory of the donor in the recipient.

Gorodets painting has existed since the middle of the 19th century. Bright, laconic patterns reflect genre scenes, figures of horses, roosters, flowers and ornaments. The painting is done with a free stroke with a white and black graphic stroke, decorates spinning wheels, furniture, shutters, doors.

Known deposits of malachite are in the Urals, Africa, South Australia and the USA, however, in terms of color and beauty of patterns, malachite from foreign countries cannot be compared with the Urals. Therefore, malachite from the Urals is considered the most valuable in the world market.

Products made at the crystal factory in the city of Gus-Khrustalny can be found in museums around the world. Traditional Russian souvenirs, household items, sets for the festive table, elegant jewelry, boxes, handmade figurines reflect the beauty of native nature, its customs and original Russian values. Colored crystal products are especially popular.

Matryoshka

A round-faced and plump cheerful girl in a scarf and a Russian folk dress won the hearts of lovers of folk toys and beautiful souvenirs around the world.
Now the matryoshka is not just a folk toy, the keeper of Russian culture: it is a memorable souvenir for tourists, on the apron of which game scenes, fairy tale plots and landscapes with sights are finely drawn. Matryoshka has become a precious collector's item that can cost more than one hundred dollars.

Vintage brooches, bracelets, pendants, which have quickly “entered” into 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 ornaments, birds, animals on white enamel using a variety of colors. Then the art of multi-colored enamel began to be lost, it began to be replaced by monochromatic enamel: white, blue and green. Now both styles are successfully combined.

In his free time, Fyodor Lisitsyn, an employee of the Tula Arms Plant, liked to make something from 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, 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 made on papier-mâché and only then transferred to the surface of caskets of various shapes and sizes.

Gzhel bush, a district of 27 villages located near Moscow, is famous for its clays, which have been mined here since the middle of the 17th century. In the 19th century, Gzhel masters began to produce semi-faience, faience and porcelain. Of particular interest are still objects painted in one color - blue overglaze paint applied with a brush, with graphic rendering of details.

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 handkerchief manufactory subsequently developed. It produced woolen shawls with a printed pattern, very popular at that time.

Now original drawings are complemented by various elements such as fringe, created in different colors and remain a great accessory to almost any look.

Vologda lace is woven on wooden sticks, bobbins. All images are made with a dense, continuous, uniform in width, smoothly wriggling linen braid. They clearly stand out 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 Shemogoda carvers are called "birch lace" and are used in the manufacture of caskets, boxes, tea caddies, pencil cases, tuesov, dishes, plates, cigarette cases.

The symmetrical pattern of Shemogoda carving consists of floral ornaments, circles, rhombuses, and ovals. Images of birds or animals, architectural motifs, and sometimes even scenes of walking in the garden and drinking tea can be inscribed in the drawing.

Tula gingerbread is a Russian delicacy. Without these sweet and fragrant products, not a single event took place in Rus' - neither cheerful nor sad. Gingerbread was served both at the royal table and at the peasant table. The traditional form is given to the gingerbread with the help of a board with a carved ornament.

Shawls are knitted from natural goat down and are amazingly delicate, beautiful, warm and practical. Openwork shawls 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.

Folk crafts folk crafts

One of the forms of folk art (in particular, the manufacture of products arts and crafts). The traditions of folk art are rooted in antiquity, reflecting the peculiarities of the labor and everyday life, aesthetic ideals and beliefs of a certain people. The motives and images of folk art have been preserved almost unchanged for centuries, being passed down from generation to generation. Products of folk craftsmen (ceramics, fabrics and carpets, products made of wood, stone, metal, bone, leather, etc.) are designed primarily to bring beauty and joy to everyday life. In Russia, the most popular were Gzhel ceramics, painted with blue colors on white; Dymkovo clay toy; Vologda lace, Gorodets wood painting, lacquer miniatures of Palekh, Kholuy, Mstyora, Khokhloma, Veliky Ustyug blackening on silver, etc.

With the development of mass industrial production, many ancient crafts and trades fell into decay. In con. 19 - beg. 20th century on the wave of interest in the national past in many countries, the revival of folk art crafts began. In Russia, traditional crafts were deliberately cultivated in workshops Abramtseva And Talashkino. Nowadays, craftsmen working in the traditions of folk crafts create both unique works of art and sketches for the production of mass industrial products.

(Source: "Art. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia." Under the editorship of Prof. A.P. Gorkin; M.: Rosmen; 2007.)

See what "folk crafts" are in other dictionaries:

One of the forms of folk art, the production of art products. History Folk arts and crafts date back to antiquity, to domestic crafts and village crafts. Later ... ... Wikipedia

- ... Wikipedia

One of the forms of folk art (in particular, the manufacture of products of decorative and applied art). Many folk art crafts have their roots in ancient times, when home crafts and rural crafts developed ... ... Art Encyclopedia

Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

FOLK ART CRAFT, one of the forms of folk art, the production of folk art products (in particular, the production of works of decorative art). They go back to antiquity, to home crafts and rural ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

One of the forms of folk art, the production of folk art products. Folk arts and crafts date back to antiquity, to home crafts and village crafts. Later, those working for the market were formed ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Folk art crafts- Products of Czech folk crafts. FOLK ART CRAFT, one of the forms of folk art, the production of folk art products (in particular, the production of works of decorative art). They go back to antiquity, to ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Folk art crafts- Nar. creativity, including the manufacture of household items that have the character of decorative works. appl. arts: embroidery, ceramics, carpet weaving, woodworking, stone, metal, bone, leather, lace making, etc. N.H.P., as a rule, ... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

One of the forms of folk art (in particular, the manufacture of products of decorative and applied art (See Decorative and applied art)). Many N. x. etc. have their roots in ancient times, when they developed ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Folk art crafts- one of the forms of folk art (in particular, the manufacture of lace and lace products, embroidery, knitting, etc.). Many N.H.P. have their roots in ancient times, when home crafts and rural ... ... Encyclopedia of fashion and clothing

Books

• Folk crafts, Clients Alexey Evgenievich, The History of Russia series is the only series of books for children that most fully reveals to the young reader the whole unique world of Russian history. The series has been produced since 1998 and… Category: History Series: History of Russia Publisher: White City,
• Folk crafts, Alexey Evgenievich Clients, Bely Gorod Publishing House presents a new book for young and middle-aged children, part of the History of Russia series, beloved by many readers. The book Folk crafts is dedicated to ... Category:

Russian folk craft combines a huge layer of culture. The peculiarity of our country is also that almost every corner, region or autonomous region has its own type of needlework. It can be painting on various materials, clay products and toys, lace weaving, pastries and much, much more.

painting

Since ancient times, Rus' has been famous throughout the world for its artists. Such patterns, which were performed by our masters, could not have been invented by any European artist. Over time, even separate directions and schools have developed that continue the traditions of our people.

It is almost impossible to list all types and techniques of painting in Rus'. There are so many of them, and each carries certain features of the area and culture. The most famous Russian folk art crafts are:

• Gzhel. These blue patterns on white porcelain are known throughout the CIS and abroad. Initially, dishes made of special white clay were used for personal needs. Over time, it spread throughout Russia and even began to be used for "pharmaceutical needs." The original and memorable pattern on white dishes appeared much later - at the end of the 19th century.
• Artistic folk crafts - Khokhloma. This is another of the well-known symbols of Russia. This thought is already about 400 years old. It originated in Nizhny Novgorod. The peculiarity of the drawing is that various berries, flowers, birds and animals are depicted on a tree or dishes. In this case, predominantly red and black paint on a gold background are used. Sometimes green and yellow are used.
• Gorodets painting. This craft is unique in that different types of wood were originally used in its technique: one is light, the other is dark. Cut out parts were inserted into special recesses and a peculiar pattern was obtained. Later they began to use tint. In almost every picture, the main element is a horse with a beautiful elongated neck.

In addition to these techniques, which are used by artistic crafts and folk crafts, there is also a huge number of murals that all of Russia is proud of to this day. They are a symbol of our country and a source of its pride. These are Zhostovskaya and Fedoskino and much more.

pottery

As you know, the Russians were mostly settled and hard-working people. A variety of pottery was actively used in everyday life. Therefore, such a Russian folk craft was popular in those days - pottery.

Few people know that initially only women were engaged in this. And only much later this trade completely passed into the strong hands of men.

As a rule, they were engaged in this craft in places of natural accumulation of clay. As a rule, villages and settlements were formed near them. The secrets of pottery have been passed down from generation to generation.

Novgorod, Smolensk, Ryazan, Gzhel, Vologda and many, many others became the most famous districts in Russia, which were famous for their craftsmen who made wonderful products from clay. Usually, these were areas located near rivers and lakes.

Not only dishes were made from clay. Various toys, figurines, whistles, decorations and interior items were widely used. A vivid example of this is the folk crafts of Gzhel. Initially, various ceramic dishes were made here. Now in any souvenir shop in Russia you can find a ceramic product with a signature unique blue pattern.

In the Nizhny Novgorod region, pottery originated in the 16th century. One of its centers was the village of Bogorodskoye. Until now, there is a festival of masters and fans of this craft.

In the central part of Russia, clay tiles were widely known and used. Such art required special skill and endurance. The houses of wealthy boyars, as well as many churches and cathedrals, were decorated with clay cashiers.

Weaving and lace

This is practically the same traditional art for Russia as painting or woodcarving. However, this ancient Russian folk craft carried magical functions. After all, Slavic clothing is not only a way to protect against cold and bad weather, but also a good way to once again protect yourself from any evil eye, damage or disease.

That is why the pattern on the products of Russian masters is so important. For many centuries, it has not changed much. At the same time, it is also the calling card of every nation living in Russia. They also contain information about its development, about important events and heroes.

The most famous were such handicrafts:

• Royal items. In the Middle Ages, this craftsmanship was very much appreciated and often in the homes of rich boyars and princes one could see embroidered embassy tablecloths, patterned fabrics and special linen. The masters of Kadashevskaya Sloboda and Khamovnikov of the Moscow Region gained the greatest fame. Items from Cherkasovo and Breitovo in the Yaroslavl region were also valued.
• Down scarves. These products, as well as nesting dolls or Khokhloma, are the hallmark of Russia. Orenburg downy shawls have gained the greatest popularity. For the first time, they became known at the dawn of the 18th century. They are made from soft and warm goat down, as well as silk, cotton and other threads taken as a basis. Half-woolen and woolen Pavlovo-Posad printed shawls are also known.
• Lace making. For the first time, this folk craft became widespread in the 17th century. Lace is made by hand using wooden bobbins. At the same time, they have special grooves for threads. It is with the help of these sticks that the craftswomen weave the necessary patterns. The original centers of lace-making in Rus' were Vologda, the Mikhailovsky district in Ryazan, the Sovetsky district in the Kirov region and the Yelets district in the Lipetsk region.

Like many folk crafts in Russia, weaving and lace-making in the Soviet period and today is practically not developed. There are quite a few craftsmen left who could completely recreate the technique and patterns according to ancient customs.

blacksmith craft

Rus' has always been famous for strong and healthy people. It is not for nothing that blacksmithing has become one of the most honorable and revered crafts among our ancestors. It was about these strong and hardy people that legends circulated and epics were compiled, as about the pride of the people and their heroes.

Iron was known to our direct ancestors - the Slavs. And already in the XI century, this Russian folk craft was most widespread. Even the largest principalities were located precisely near the deposits of ore and clay.

Usually blacksmiths independently mined and processed metal. At the same time, the forging technique itself practically did not change until the 19th century. First, a piece of metal was heated with a forge, and then the metal was compacted with a hammer and all slag was removed.

Craftsmen made not only swords. They gave people locks and keys, axes and knives, nails and needles, boilers, weights and much, much more.

The main centers of blacksmithing in Russia were the city of Zlatoust, which was valued and revered by our tsars as the capital of weapons, Pavlovsky prison, Siberia, the city of Belev and many, many others. It was these places that glorified blacksmithing and forever included it in the folk crafts of Russia.

Wood and bone carving

Another ancient, but not completely forgotten craft. For our people, everything has its own sacred meaning. Even in ordinary everyday items, the ancestors tried to use special things. It was for this that various folk-applied crafts existed. Products made from natural materials were especially valued: stone, bone or wood.

In addition to the fact that various household items, art crafts, etc. were made from them, the facades of buildings were decorated with the help of carvings, sculptures were made, etc.

The following folk crafts have gained particular popularity:

• Shemogodskaya slotted birch bark. This art originates in the Vologda region. Birch bark, despite its apparent fragility, is a fairly strong and durable material. Vologda craftsmen make a variety of baskets, dishes, tuesas, jewelry, and even shoes and clothes. The peculiarity of these products is that a natural floral ornament, leaves and berries, flowers and stems are intertwined with the traditional pattern.
• Varnavinskaya bone carving. This is the art of folk crafts of Nizhny Novgorod masters. It arose on the basis of a special one performed on a tree. The peculiarity of such products lies in the absolute originality and individuality. After all, each item is made by hand, without any templates and stamps.
• This extraordinary art craft became widely known in the 19th century. Using this technique, they made ladles, dishes, vases and caskets, as well as any items of home decor and household items. The peculiarity of these products is the predominance of various curls, rosettes, twigs, tinting and polishing of wood.

In addition to these folk crafts, Russia is rich in craftsmen who can do more than simply apply patterns to stone, bone or wood. They seem to complement the natural pattern of the material with their own work. That is why these products become so unusual and unique.

Folk crafts: toys

The main thing for any family is the continuation of the family. That is why children have always been given special attention. They were watched, trained and, of course, played with. In order to entertain the child, they made special crafts: from leather, fabric, wood, stone, etc.

Russian folk crafts for children:

It is endless to list all the famous and ancient dynasties that have dedicated their skills to children. And each toy had its own character, special features that were not characteristic of the rest.

glass production

This is one of the hardest and most interesting activities at the same time. In Russia, glass-blowing craft appeared not so long ago - in the 18th century. Its founder was Prince Menshikov. And, despite the fact that initially foreigners were invited to the production, later the occupation turned into our national Russian folk craft.

The city of Klin became the center of glass-blowing production. It is there that now you can get to the fabulous exhibition of Christmas toys and decorations. Why this particular town near Moscow? This region is rich in deposits of the most valuable sand for glassblowers - quartz, without which production is impossible.

Another place known throughout the country is Gus-Khrustalny. This town owes its name to an old glass-blowing factory founded in the 18th century and owned by the famous Russian businessmen Maltsov.

Now this wonderful factory produces a wide variety of products from this fragile material. These are wine glasses and glasses, vases and shtofs, as well as interesting souvenirs and even interior items.

Modern exhibitions of folk crafts

Now the main thing for many Russian crafts and craftsmen is to continue to develop. Popularity is the key to success. After all, the more people know and appreciate the craft, the better, the more orders the masters receive.

In addition, handicrafts help the new generation to understand the history and culture of their own country. It is not only interesting and informative, but also a lot of fun, especially for young children. After all, almost every our product uses bright colors, funny drawings with funny characters.

As a rule, in places where the production of certain crafts is concentrated, annual fairs and exhibitions are held. It is here that craftsmen bring their best products for display and sale.

The most famous and interesting fairs today:

• Exhibition of folk crafts "Rook". It takes place in Nizhny Novgorod every year. Artistic crafts are presented here not only by local masters, but also by the best craftsmen of Russia. This event takes place in mid-December.
• Ethnomir - masters and crafts. This exhibition takes place in the Kaluga region in September. It brings together the best masters of Russia and the world. Within the framework of this festival, very interesting and informative master classes are also held for everyone.

Solovetsky craft fair. This annual event is visited by craftsmen from Yaroslavl, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk, Nizhny Novgorod and other craftsmen cities and villages. Folk crafts - Khokhloma, toys and Gzhel are especially appreciated by visitors.

In addition to these fairs, there are many others that gather a huge number of people and contribute to the revival of long-forgotten folk crafts.

Knife craft

Artistic metalworking was widespread throughout almost the entire territory of Russia. And in different regions, entire centers for the production of knives, dishes, and various cutlery appeared.

Nizhny Novgorod masters were especially famous for their skill. The Pavlovskaya Sloboda became the center of artistic metal craft. The first reminder of it appeared in the 16th century. Then this art of folk crafts spread to other districts and regions. For example, this is the village of Vorsma. The art and skills of the local craftsmen were known far beyond the borders of Russia. During the years of the USSR, this place became the official capital of the Knife Industry.

Russian knives were decorated with a wide variety of materials: from bone to mother-of-pearl and jasper. A special engraving was displayed on them, which served not only as an ornament, but also as a kind of industrial brand.

One of the most famous houses that made these folk crafts a family affair and passed on technology and craftsmanship secrets from father to sons were the Ptitsyns, Zavyalovs and Biryutins. Their products made a huge impression at trade fairs in Philadelphia, London, Berlin and Paris.

Jewelry in Rus'

This is one of the most valuable and sought-after folk crafts of our people. Until now, the products of ancient Russian masters amaze the mind and imagination of visitors and experts of numerous museums and exhibitions. Jewelery is notable for the fact that it is based on many artistic crafts and folk crafts. This is forging, carving, painting and much, much more.

Jewelry accompanied a Russian person from birth to death. Even a baby was wearing some kind of beads, and the girls' ears were pierced at the age of 6-8 years. Boys, as a rule, relied on one earring. In addition to these jewelry, a variety of bracelets, rings and precious rings, clasps and more were popular among the people. The most common materials in Rus' were gold, silver and pearls. Later, during the development of active trade relations, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and garnets appeared.

Despite the fact that foreign masters were often invited by Russian princely houses, Rus' had many of its own heroes. These are Gavrila Ovdokimov, who made the lid of the shrine for the deceased Tsarevich Dmitry, Moscow masters Ivan Popov, Tretyak Pestrikov and Afanasy Stepanov.

The centers of the jewelry craft were the central regions, which gave rise to folk crafts - Gzhel, artistic forging and painting, etc., Nizhny Novgorod, Veliky Ustyug and many others.