History of crafts in Rus'. Traditional trades and crafts in Rus': rare historical photos. Artistic craft of Ancient Rus'

Craft- small-scale manual production, based on the use of hand tools, which allows the production of high-quality, often.

Craft arose with the beginning production activities man has gone through a long historical path of development, taking various shapes: A) home craft- in subsistence farming conditions; b) custom craft- in conditions of decomposition of natural economy; V) craft to market. The emergence and development of cities as craft and trade centers is associated with the emergence of crafts to order and especially for the market. Home craft is often called home industry (that is, the production of non-agricultural products), craft to order and for the market - handicraft industry. In Russian statistical literature, often all artisans of the 19th-20th centuries. were called artisans.

Home craft widespread throughout the history of pre-capitalist societies. The rural population produced most of the handicrafts it consumed. Gradually, crafts made to order and the market began to play a leading role. IN ancient Greece, ancient Rome, in the countries of the ancient East there were a significant number of artisans who ran independent households and manufactured products to order or for the market.

Becoming professional craft, especially in cities, has led to the emergence new sphere production and a new social layer - urban artisans. The emergence of developed forms of their organization (guilds), which protected the interests of this layer, created especially favorable conditions for the development of urban crafts in the Middle Ages. The leading branches of urban craft were: clothmaking, production of metal products, glass products, etc. During the industrial revolution (mid-18th century - first half of the 19th century), the factory industry, based on the use of machines, replaced crafts. Crafts (to order and for the market) have been preserved in industries associated with serving the individual needs of the consumer or with the production of expensive artistic products - pottery, weaving, artistic carving, etc.

To a greater extent, the craft has been preserved in underdeveloped countries. However, here too it is being replaced by factory industry as a result of the industrialization of these countries. Folk arts and crafts related to tourism services and exports are preserved.

Types of crafts

Since ancient times, humanity has known such crafts as:

and many others.

In Russia, after 1917, the number of artisans and handicraftsmen sharply decreased; they were united into industrial cooperation. Only a few world-famous folk art crafts have survived: Gzhel ceramics, Dymkovo toys, Palekh miniatures, Khokhloma painting, etc.

artistic craft

artistic craft- culture of labor professional skills and technical techniques of artistic processing various materials(metal, leather, fabrics, etc.), produced in the process of accumulating creative experience of craftsmen who create artistic products. Professional experience artistic craft developed through the discovery of the most aesthetically effective techniques and techniques for artistic processing of material, bringing it to perfection. This experience has been accumulated over centuries and passed on from generation to generation. In the old days, the welfare of the country and the general level of its culture were judged by artistic craft. The masters of Ancient Rus' and the Western European Middle Ages were divided into professions, within which they had the universal ability to use various techniques of artistic processing of a particular material. Thus, gold and silversmiths mastered the techniques of forging, casting, embossing, filigree, engraving, silver blackening, and enamel work. They specialized in types of products (weapons, book frames, jewelry, etc.). This kind of specialization took place in pottery, weaving, artistic sewing, etc. In Ancient Kyiv, for example, there were 60 different craft professions. By social status artisans were divided into patrimonial ones, who worked at the princely court, and monastery ones, into city and townspeople. The first worked to order carefully and for a long time, achieving the highest perfection and skill in their work. Posad artistic craft was reflected in the work of urban craftsmen associated with the market. They developed the ability to achieve an artistic effect using economical means, bringing the product closer to expensive samples. General aesthetic ideals of the people, professional artistry manual labor determined the development of the culture of artistic crafts. Every item was created creatively. The artistry of the master was highly valued; belonging to the category of masters was determined by the ability to perfectly perform the most difficult piece of art. In Rus' there were craft corporations organized like Western guilds. Their activities were regulated by special rules and laws. Developing on the basis of folk traditions, the artistic craft of each country retained its national identity and at the same time reflected the development of world styles. , since its development is inseparable from the artistic imagery, aesthetics, and culture of each people.

Folk arts and crafts

Folk arts and crafts (folk craft) - a wide range of products made using simple improvised materials and simple tools. This traditional type of craft is diverse, where things are created with one’s own hands using skills and ingenuity. The work can be done on fabric, wood, non-ferrous metals, paper, etc. Usually the term is applied to things that have not only aesthetic value, but also have practical application.

Folk craft takes some origins from rural crafts, thanks to which basic necessities were created, including complex structures. Rural crafts have been known since ancient times, in fact, appearing at the moment when humanity needed new tools and household items. In different regions and areas, among different peoples, the arts and cultures differed, therefore, their crafts also differed. Like folk art, folk crafts often depended on religious, cultural, and sometimes even political beliefs.

Many handicrafts are created from natural or close to natural materials, but many modernists also use unusual elements and designs, such as industrial parts and mechanisms.

Products are considered a folk craft until the process of their production is put on stream (factory-type mass production).

Since manual work and similar crafts develop intelligence and various kinds of skills, sometimes in educational processes schools and institutes introduce special tasks to create something. Many products require certain skills to make, but, as a rule, anyone can learn the craft. Many types of craft become popular some time after their appearance, sometimes not.

History of crafts

Already in the ancient world, the beginnings of craft activity are found, manifested in the processing of known objects, mostly at the home of the owner of the material and by the hands of slaves. We have evidence from Homer about this nature of handicraft labor in Greece.

Given the contempt of the Greeks for handicraft labor, which was recognized as unworthy of a free person, labor, as a permanent professional activity, was the work of a very limited contingent of people, not counting the laborers and slaves who were part of the house.

Some crafts in Greece, however, rose to high degree, despite the use of the simplest tools and tools. Over time, consumer goods became widespread not only for luxury goods, but also for satisfying the everyday needs of the lower classes of the population.

Already in Greece, artisans sometimes experienced competition from relatively large productions, emerging from the middle of the 5th century BC. e. In general, handicraft production is of the same nature in Rome. Given the existence of isolated, closed farms that satisfied their needs through the specialization of slave labor, there was no soil in Rome for the development of agriculture as a free one. professional activity; in the absence of a contingent of people who would constantly need the products of other people's labor and would be able to pay for them, Roman artisans, boodlers, etc. (artifices) had to replenish the ranks of the proletarians. Only if there is known property that served as a source of income (usually a small land plot), an artisan could live comfortably and earn extra income by fulfilling random orders. With the formation of large estates, which absorbed a significant part of the small plots of land, artisans, whose ranks were mainly replenished by freedmen, had to look for work on the side and perform it at the customer’s home.

In order to increase production volumes in any artel, the artel could be economically brought under the control or acquired by one or more owners, and then it grew into a factory or plant. With the advent of more and more complex and energy-intensive machines and mechanisms in any craft, and, especially, with the involvement of scientific achievements, the craft grew into industry. The presence of complex and numerous machines and mechanisms and knowledge-intensive processes is precisely the line beyond which fishing ends and industry begins. An example here is the transformation in the 19th century in Russia of Ivanovo, previously a typical settlement consisting mainly of weaving cooperatives, into a city with a large number of weaving factories. Further, with greater use of modern, science-based processes, Ivanovo became the center of the textile industry in Russia. Here are some other examples of the “evolution” of crafts into industry with increasing production volumes, increasing complexity and increasing the number of equipment used, and with the involvement of science:

baking and milling have each become their own part of the food industry
shoemaking has evolved over the years into the shoe industry
weaving and spinning crafts together gave birth to the textile industry
tailoring has evolved into the clothing industry
blacksmithing became the progenitor of a number of industries related to metal processing.

Nevertheless, many crafts continue to exist along with the industries they gave birth to, creating a professional environment from which a lot of specialists are recruited into the corresponding industry. For example, highly qualified carpenters or shoemakers use their potential in the furniture or shoe industries.

Everyday ideas about craft as outdated in modern society the phenomenon is deceptive. And in our time, new crafts continue to appear. In the field information technologies With the beginning of the development of social networks, the craft of an SMM specialist or, as it is more often called, a community manager, appeared. Such new crafts you can count at least a dozen.

The active development of handicrafts began in Ancient Rus' at the end of the 13th century and was due to the emergence of highly specialized specialists in various industries. Crafts played very important role in the development of the country, as they gave a powerful impetus to the construction of new cities and the economic development of the country. Today we will look at the most common types of craft activities and talk about their development.

Places of concentration of artisans

Cities in Ancient Rus' were built based on their favorable geographical location. They had to not only be close to trade routes, but also have a favorable location so that they could be easily defended in the event of war and a long siege. As a rule, they tried to build cities on hilly areas or near the confluence of two rivers. Not only ordinary people lived in the cities, but also representatives of the authorities, so they had a garrison with a sufficient number of soldiers for defense.

As craft activities developed, craftsmen began to settle in cities, thanks to which ordinary military garrisons gradually began to turn into large shopping centers. In the central square there was a princely estate, which was surrounded by a wall and protective structures. Around the princely estate, settlements were built in which artisans lived and worked. Masters of various professions and crafts created goods that were subsequently sold in other cities, which contributed to the rapid development of trade. The development was so rapid. That already three centuries later, in Rus' there were about 60 various types crafts.

Metallurgy

Mining and processing of metals began in Rus' at the beginning of the 11th century and was considered one of the most important industries. Blacksmiths have always been held in high esteem because they made not only iron tools, but also weapons, metal armor and harnesses. Blacksmithing is mentioned and praised in many works of folk epic of that time, and the blacksmiths themselves personify the image of courage, strength and kindness. Iron products of that time were made from ore, which was mined by miners in the swamps. Blacksmiths smelted ore in their workshops in special furnaces equipped with forges for blowing and creating heat.

Blacksmiths were rightfully considered the most important and significant craftsmen, as they gave rise to a new era in the country's development and trade relations. Blacksmiths produced a huge amount of goods needed in all spheres of life of people of that time. The lords of the anvil and hammer produced tools, weapons and much more. The weapons were of high quality and were famous far beyond the borders of Rus'. The total number of varieties of forged products produced by blacksmiths in the 11th century is about 150 units.

Jewelry

Production jewelry occupies a separate niche in blacksmithing, since to make them, artisans had to have an incredible level of skill. Jewelry in Rus' was so magnificent that modern scientists remain perplexed as to how the blacksmiths of that time managed to create such stunning jewelry masterpieces.

In the Middle Ages, various amulets and pendants, necklaces, earrings and yarns cast from bronze and made using granulation technology, which involved soldering small balls onto a metal base, were very popular in our country. Another technique that has also become widespread is called filigree. It is based on soldering various patterns of thin wire onto a base, the spaces between which were painted over with enamel of various colors.

The niello technique deserves special attention, since the jewelry made using it was not only very popular among the nobility, but was also in demand in other countries. The basis of such jewelry is a black metal plate on which silver patterns were applied.

Pottery

The ability to sculpt clay products and fire them marked the beginning new era in construction, since houses began to be built not only from logs, but also from brick. In addition to bricks, dishes were made from clay. The first mentions of pottery date back to the 11th century. At that time, work machines had already been invented, which were a rotating circle driven by a foot drive. For the manufacture of dishes, special clay was used, which underwent pre-treatment, and finished goods fired in kilns, which gave them incredible strength and durability.

In which branches of the craft have masters still achieved great success?

Speaking about the crafts of the period of the 11th-12th centuries, we should not forget about such activities as embossing, making ceramics and enamels, glassmaking, painting, as well as fine embroidery, since Slavic craftsmen had no equal in these crafts. During archaeological excavations in Kyiv, scientists were able to find ancient paintings made by ancient Russian masters that amaze with their beauty.

Carpenters also achieved great success in their activities, building houses, fences and gates, barrels, crossings, wooden toys, fortresses and defensive structures, boats and ships, as well as other utensils. In terms of their demand, carpenters were not inferior to blacksmiths.

Artistic painting

Old Russian painters and artists were true professionals in their field and were famous for their skills far beyond the borders of the country. Comprehension of the art of artistic painting took place in special schools, each of which had a different focus and trained artisans of a certain type.

One of the popular and sought-after areas of painting of that time was Gzhel. This craft is based on the artistic painting of white porcelain objects with blue paints. Some artisans made kitchen utensils and toys from porcelain, and then others painted them with various patterns and designs. Porcelain tiles painted with blue patterns were especially popular.

Another popular type of painting was Zhostovo painting. It consisted of a painting of various utensils, painted black, painted with patterns of bright colors and coated with a special varnish that gave the items an incredible shine. The first items made in the style of this craft date back to the mid-18th century. It is worth noting that this type of craft was very difficult to master, and the production of objects took place in several stages and took a lot of time.

Khokhloma

Khokhloma is one of the varieties of artistic painting of dishes that originated in Rus' at the beginning of the 8th century. Kitchen utensils were painted with flowers of unusual shapes and bright colors, as well as various folk ornaments that simply did not allow you to take your eyes off. Household items painted using this technique could last quite a long time, since varnish was applied to them in several stages, after which the items were hardened in an oven. Some kitchen utensils have survived in excellent condition to this day.

Russian artisans made a great contribution to the development of culture Ancient Rus'. In cities and rural villages, craftsmen achieved high skill in their production, which influenced the revival of domestic trade.

In the Scandinavian sagas, Rus' is called the country of cities - Gardarika. Chronicles provide information about the existence of at least twenty-three Russian cities in the 9th century. In reality there were more of them: in "Treatise on the Administration of an Empire" Constantine Porphyrogenitus names cities that are not mentioned in Russian chronicles.

Old Russian cities. The largest cities in Ancient Rus' were Kyiv, Novgorod, Chernigov, Lyubech, Smolensk, Polotsk and others. Foreign merchants and goods flocked here. Trading took place here, caravans with cargo were formed, which then traveled along trade routes to the Khazar and Greek markets. The city was the center of the surrounding volost. People of various tribes flocked to it and united in their occupations into other communities: they became warriors, artisans, and traders. Rural workers went to cities to sell the fruits of their labor and buy anything needed on the farm.

Forge welding was used to produce durable iron products. Scissors, pliers, keys, and boat rivets were made using a chisel. The production of axes, locks, hammers and spears required great skill. In cities, the range of iron products was much wider. Blacksmiths made stirrups, spurs, caskets for storing valuables, rivets and umbos for shields, chain mail, helmets, armor, swords, sabers, darts and much more.

"Blacksmiths of copper and silver". Archaeologists have found that ancient jewelers mastered the art of making wire from which they made woven bracelets. A popular technique was casting, the forms for which differ in great regional diversity. Archaeologists found casting molds for crosses, medal-shaped pendants, temple rings. In the cities, craftsmen made jewelry with grain and filigree (soldered grains or metal threads). Their arsenal included forging and casting silver, copper and alloys. Jewelry was decorated with embossing. The ornaments were not complex and were applied with a chisel or a toothed wheel.

Pottery craft in Rus'. In the Slavic lands, pottery had a long tradition, going back centuries. But in the 9th century it acquired new technology and turned into a craft. The ancient molded dishes were replaced by those produced on the potter's wheel. If earlier the manufacture of clay utensils was a woman’s job, then in Kievan Rus male potters were already working everywhere. The typical and most common motif of Slavic ceramics was a design consisting of parallel horizontal or wavy lines. Along with it, there was a comb ornament, when the imprints of a rare comb are visible on the product. After shaping and painting, the dishes were dried and then fired in a kiln or pottery forge. The products were pots of different sizes and purposes, pots for storing grain or mash.

The pot, placed under the stove, was lined around the lower part with firewood or coals and thereby became engulfed in heat from all sides. The potters successfully found the shape of the pot. If it had been flatter or had a wider hole, then boiling water could have splashed out onto the stove. If the pot had a narrow, long neck, the process of boiling water would be very slow. The pots were made from special potting clay, oily, plastic, blue, green or dirty yellow, to which quartz sand was added. After firing in the forge, it acquired a reddish-brown, beige or black color, depending on the original color and firing conditions. Pots were rarely decorated; they were decorated with narrow concentric circles or a chain of shallow dimples and triangles pressed around the rim or on the shoulders of the vessel. A shiny lead glaze, which gave an attractive appearance to a newly made vessel, was applied to the pot for utilitarian purposes - to give the vessel strength and moisture resistance. The lack of decoration was due to the purpose of the pot: to always be in the stove, only briefly on weekdays to appear on the table during breakfast or lunch.

Home production. In Ancient Rus' dominated natural production, where almost everything necessary for life was made in each individual household: clothing, shoes, household utensils, agricultural implements. Carpentry work was performed with only an ax. An adze was used to process wood, which could be used to hollow out a trough, log or boat. In the household they were engaged in tanning leather and fur, making fabrics, and producing buckets, tubs and barrels.

Russian trade in the 9th-10th centuries. Archaeological finds indicate that internal exchange among the East Slavic tribes has long been developed. In the Dnieper region and Northern Rus', objects of Black Sea origin, silver items from Central Asia and Iran were discovered. The placement of treasures of Arabic silver coins, which served as a means of currency at that time, allows us to identify trade routes and areas most affected by trade. These include the lands of the Polyans, Severians, Krivichi and Slovenes of Novgorod. Treasures are less common in the land of the Dregovichi and Radimichi and are completely absent from the Drevlyans.

Trade routes of Russian merchants. One of the main trade routes of the Russians was the Volga.

The merchants followed to the capital of Khazaria Itil, where they paid the Kagan a duty on the goods they transported, traded a little, and then sailed further along the Caspian Sea to the Arab lands. The Volga trade route was used by trading people from Novgorod, Rostov, Vladimir, Ryazan and other northern Russian lands. Merchants from Kyiv, Chernigov and Smolensk had to go to Itil and the East through Byzantium. Trade with Byzantium was very brisk, facilitated by the agreements of 907 and 911. It was possible to get to Constantinople from Kyiv by following the Dnieper and along the Black Sea coast. The journey was dangerous, and the merchants were often princely warriors. Trade with the West was carried out in two ways: from Kyiv to Central Europe and from Novgorod across the Baltic Sea to Scandinavia, the southern Baltic states and further west by land and water.

Russian artisans made a great contribution to the development of culture Ancient Rus' . In cities and rural villages, craftsmen achieved high skill in their production, which influenced the revival of domestic trade.

Blacksmith craft. The first specialist artisans in Rus' were blacksmiths, who were in charge of the complex business of processing ore in forges and forging hot metal. The raw material for this craft was swamp ore - ferrous deposits on the rhizomes of swamp plants. "Smelting Iron" from ore occurred by heating it in special furnaces using cheese furnaces. The resulting iron was placed under the hammer, and only then the blacksmith began to make various tools from it: ploughshares, shovels, axes, bits, nails, scythes, sickles, plow knives, frying pans and much more. Forge welding was used to produce durable iron products. Scissors, pliers, keys, and boat rivets were made using a chisel. The production of axes, locks, hammers and spears required great skill. In cities, the range of iron products was much wider. Blacksmiths made stirrups, spurs, caskets for storing valuables, rivets and umbos for shields, chain mail, helmets, armor, swords, sabers, darts and much more.

"Blacksmiths of copper and silver" . Archaeologists have found that ancient jewelers mastered the art of making wire from which they made woven bracelets. A popular technique was casting, the forms for which differ in great regional diversity. Archaeologists found casting molds for crosses, medal-shaped pendants, temple rings. In the cities, craftsmen made jewelry with grain and filigree (soldered grains or metal threads). Their arsenal included forging and casting silver, copper and alloys. Jewelry was decorated with embossing. The ornaments were not complex and were applied with a chisel or a toothed wheel.

Pottery craft in Rus'. In the Slavic lands, pottery had a long tradition, going back centuries. But in the 9th century it acquired new technology and turned into a craft. The ancient molded dishes were replaced by those produced on the potter's wheel. If earlier the manufacture of clay utensils was a woman’s job, then male potters were already working everywhere. The typical and most common motif of Slavic ceramics was a design consisting of parallel horizontal or wavy lines. Along with it, there was a comb ornament, when the imprints of a rare comb are visible on the product. After shaping and painting, the dishes were dried and then fired in a kiln or pottery forge. The products were pots of different sizes and purposes, pots for storing grain or mash.

Home production. In Ancient Rus', natural production dominated, where almost everything necessary for life was made in each individual household: clothing, shoes, household utensils, agricultural implements. Carpentry work was performed with only an ax. An adze was used to process wood, which could be used to hollow out a trough, log or boat. In the household they were engaged in tanning leather and fur, making fabrics, and producing buckets, tubs and barrels.

Trade routes of Russian merchants. One of the main trade routes of the Russians was the Volga. The merchants followed to the capital of Khazaria Itil, where they paid the Kagan a duty on the goods they transported, traded a little, and then sailed further along the Caspian Sea to the Arab lands. The Volga trade route was used by trading people from Novgorod, Rostov, Vladimir, Ryazan and other northern Russian lands. Merchants from Kyiv, Chernigov and Smolensk had to go to Itil and the East through Byzantium. Trade with Byzantium was very brisk, facilitated by the agreements of 907 and 911. It was possible to get to Constantinople from Kyiv by following the Dnieper and along the Black Sea coast. The journey was dangerous, and the merchants were often princely warriors. Trade with the West was carried out in two ways: from Kyiv to Central Europe and from Novgorod across the Baltic Sea to Scandinavia, the southern Baltic states and further west by land and water.

Folk crafts have reached us from ancient times - painting, carving, lace, but there are also new folk crafts. Most often they began with peasant household art.

Art painting in Russia

Wooden and metal products, children's toys and furniture have been painted in Rus' from time immemorial. Technology in different regions of the country differed significantly from each other. Further details about the most famous types of painting.

Gorodets painting

Gorodets painting originated in the Volga region, in the villages of the Nizhny Novgorod province. They were located near a large village called Gorodets. There were fairs where crafts made by craftsmen were sold. This is where the name came from - Gorodets painting.

Polkhov-Maidan painting

The birthplace of Polkhov-Maidan painting is the south of the Nizhny Novgorod region. There, in the village of Polkhovsky Maidan, the village of Voznesenskoye and the village of Krutets, the center of this painting is located. It arose just a hundred years ago on the basis of the turning industry developed in those places. Masters painted nesting dolls, children's toys, mushrooms, Easter eggs, and used only four colors - green, blue, yellow and red.

Palekh painting

Palekh painting appeared quite recently - already in Soviet times, however, the roots of this painting go back to antiquity. Thanks to a unique craft, the village of Palekh Ivanovo region became known throughout Russia. It is known about Palekh painting, Palekh miniatures, Palekh icon painting. The peculiarity of painting is that artists create not just ornaments, but draw entire scenes and compositions with the smallest details.

Zhostovo painting

Zhostovo painting is lacquer painting on trays, which appeared in one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five. Such trays are made at a factory in the village of Zhostovo and in the city of Nizhny Tagil. The main difference of this craft is the abundance of colors, incomparable tones, and the realism of all elements.

Gzhel

Gzhel painting, as the name implies, originated in the city of Gzhel. Her patterns are predominantly floral patterns and simple geometric patterns, done in cobalt bright blue paint on a snow-white background. The city of Gzhel is a center for the production of ceramics. In many ways, this was the reason for the emergence of its unique painting in this city. Gzhel artistic craft is not young; its roots go back to the fourteenth century. It was then that the Kudinovskoye clay deposit was discovered.

Russian crafts that became trades

Sometimes Russian crafts became trades. They arose when products folk craft put on stream. We know about making toys from clay, about special wood carvings, about lace craftsmanship, and so on.

Dymkovo toy

Near the city of Vyatka there was a settlement called Dymkovo, now it is one of the districts of the city. In the settlement of Dymkovo in the nineteenth century, painted ceramic toys for children appeared. Deposits of clay and sand in those places became the reason for the production of clay jugs and jars by craftsmen. Bright, cheerful toys were made for the children's amusement. Only women or children were involved in modeling and painting toys. The pattern on the Dymkovo toy is always geometric, consisting of circles, stripes, and cells. In addition to its unique painting, the toy stands out because it is trimmed with gold.

Filimonovskaya toy

The production of Filimonovo toys arose on the basis of the production of clay dishes located near the village of Filimonovo. These toys are a variety of whistles. A distinctive feature is the elongated shape of the products, which is due to the characteristics of the local clay. To this day, whistles are painted only with a quill pen.

Abramtsevo-Kudrinskaya carving

Carving, which became a trade, appeared in the Abramtsevo estate, near Moscow in the nineteenth century. Its name is Abramtsevo-Kudrinskaya carving. The carvers studied and worked in the carpentry workshop, where they were also taught painting and drawing. Thus, a small workshop became the basis for a future craft, distinguished by its unique carving style.

Vyatka lace

Vyatka lace has been known since the eighteenth century. In the second half of the nineteenth century, a zemstvo school of lacemakers was organized in the Vyatka province. For many years there was a lace factory in those places, but it was closed in the early nineties. Lacemakers have preserved their unique skills, traditions and craft technology. They delight with new products, uniting in artels or small enterprises.

New folk crafts

Not all folk crafts have a rich history. Some have appeared quite recently. What kind of crafts these are, we will find out later.

Painting Christmas tree decorations

Christmas tree painting as a craft originated in the nineteenth century in the village of Danilovo. The toys were also made there. Peasants did this at home, using simple burners for blowing. The demand for such toys grew, and the number of single craftsmen also increased. Soon some owners at home organized small production with hired workers.

Factory "Ariel"

The oldest factory in Russia engaged in the production New Year's toys, is the Ariel factory. It is located in Nizhny Novgorod. Despite fashion changing over the years, the factory does not change the traditions of making toys. self made. Next to the factory there is a museum of Christmas tree decorations and a store.

The most recognizable folk craft in Russia

Perhaps the most recognizable Russian folk craft is Khokhloma gold painting. It originated at the end of the seventeenth century in the Nizhny Novgorod region, when at fairs in the village of Khokhloma they sold wooden crafts, painted by locals from the surrounding villages.

All items are elegant and colorful. A distinctive feature of the painting is the presence of a gold background or gold ornament. While painting, the masters come up with their drawings on the fly; this is always an improvisation when following the rules of Khokhloma painting. The master turns a simple wooden object into a work of folk art. Housewives still use such utensils. It is also exhibited in museums. There is a website about the largest museums in the world.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen

It might be useful to read: