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Dolls have always been among the most favorite children’s toys and made an integral and vital part of any culture. The basic notions of human relations and complicated world order are passed on to a child with the help of all sorts of toys. As for traditional folk dolls, for centuries they were means of transmitting sacred generic values and knowledge to the following generation.
The Russian folk doll boasts rich traditions and history. There was time when dolls saved people’s lives by replacing human beings as victims in rites of sacrifice. Dummy-dolls that were sacrificed to various gods had their peculiar names, such as Kostroma, Morena, Kupalo, Yarilo, etc. (some of them corresponding to the idol’s names). In return people asked for happy love, plentiful harvests, health and well-being.
Dolls were improvised of anything available at hand: of straw, clay, wood, bast, corncobs, grass roots, cinder, branches and boughs of trees, and what not. In the days of old dolls were never left lying upside-down in a house, but “were carefully kept in a basket or in coffers with embossing, or in bast chests. In this way they passed on from one girl to another”.
The matter is that in those times peasant familieswere very large, up to 11-15 children in each home. They believed that in order to become a good mother in future, a girl was to play dolls.
Dymkovo toys, also known as the Vyatka toys or Kirov toys are moulded painted clay figures of people and animals (sometimes in the form of a pennywhistle). It is one of the old Russian folk art handicrafts, which still exists in a village of Dymkovo near Kirov (former Vyatka). Traditionally, the Dymkovo toys are made by women.
Dymkovo toys are made of red clay and river sand. There are three types of toys – balls, whistles and dolls. Older toys had their root in old pagan beliefs. Nowadays toys have purely decorative meaning. There are those based on tradition like for example barynyas or landladies. Abstract motifs are also present.
The tradition of making pennywhistles in the form of a horse, a horserider, and a bird goes back to the ancient magic ritual images and has to do with the agricultural calendar holidays. Later on, little figures lost their magic meaning and turned into toys for children, the making of which would become an artistic handicraft. Up until the 20th century, this toy production had been timed to the spring fair called свистунья, or whistler. The first recorded mentioning of this event took place in 1811, however it is believed to have existed for some 400 years, thus dating the history of Dymkovo toy at least from the 17th century.
Massive, abstract, and somewhat grotesque forms of the Dymkovo toys are emphasized by ruffles, puffed collars, and other features. Improvised bright painting of the toys represents a geometric ornament of circles, checks, and dots of different colors and sizes.
Wooden Bogorodskoe ToysThe old village of Bogorodskoe is located 25 km away from Sergiev Posad outside of Moscow. This very village is considered the centre for the wooden handicraft toy, though wooden toys have been popular all over Russia from times immemorial due to abundance of woods in the country.
There is a story that in the mid 17th century apeasant carved a toy of linden for his kids. When the children had played long enough with it, the father took it to a fair to sell. One of the merchants got interested in the toy and ordered the peasant a whole lot of suchlike toys.
The traditional Bogorodskoe toys are unpainted linden carved figurines of animals, birds, and people, including funny hussars and ladies, horsemen and dancers, woodcutters and musicians, or compositions from peasant life. Lots of these toys can move: smiths hammer, hens peck, a cat fishes, etc. the figurines are set in motion with the help of a simple implement – the details are attached with a thread to the inner plank with a weight ball hanging from it – once the plank is pulled, when you rock the toy circle-wise, the figurine comes alive.
The traditional Bogorodskoe toys are unpainted linden carved figurines of animals, birds, and people, including funny hussars and ladies, horsemen and dancers, woodcutters and musicians, or compositions from peasant life. Lots of these toys can move: smiths hammer, hens peck, a cat fishes, etc. the figurines are set in motion with the help of a simple implement – the details are attached with a thread to the inner plank with a weight ball hanging from it – once the plank is pulled, when you rock the toy circle-wise, the figurine comes alive.
The symbol of this handicraft is still “the man with the bear” in various plot situations, with the moving toy “Blacksmiths” the first of them.
Bogorodskoe toys need linden wood, which is soft and pliable, and must be well dried in the open air. First of all the carver works on the linden blocks, chops or saws the blank of the future toy. Then it is shaped with a chisel and an extremely sharp Bogorodsky knife. Only afterwards the wooden wonder is sandpapered and lacquered. The toys can also be lathed: the details are turned on a lathe, then assembled and painted if necessary. It is very easy to say handwork from factory-made toys. Handicraft ensures elaborated tiny details, exact proportions and, certainly, adds to the charms of the toy. The prices will differ a lot, of course.
Filimonovo toys are a type of Russian pottery craft produced in Odoyevsky District of Tula Oblast, Russia. The toys derive its name from the village of its origin, Filimonovo, and are moulded by hand from the bluish-grey local clay that fires into a pure white ceramic.
The artists paint the figures with aniline dyes with motifs of brightly colored strips and spots. Filimonovo toys figurines often consists of clay whistles in the forms of women, horsemen, and assorted animals such as bears, cattle, and roosters. Figurine motifs of people or other animals hold chickens or roosters is also quite common.
What are they made of? The principles of making matryoshkas have not changed for many years that they have existed. Russian nesting dolls are made of well-dried linden or birch wood. The smallest, indivisible matryoshka, which can be just as tiny as a rice grain, is always made first. The turning of nesting dolls is delicate art that is learned for many years; some masters can even turn matroshkas while keeping eyes closed.
Before painting the dolls they are grounded, and after painting they are varnished. In the 19th century matryoshkas were painted with gouache, whereas nowadays unique images are created with the help of aniline, tempera and even watercolours. Nevertheless, gouache remains popular with matryoshka artists. First of all they paint the doll’s face and apron with a picturesque image, and then the sarafan with kerchief.
Matryoshka places There are a number of Russian towns and settlements were matryoshkas are traditionally made; Sergiev Posad is the most famous of them. Everywhere they have peculiarities of their own. There are also a few museums. The first and the most illustrious Museum of Matryoshka is situated in Moscow. Today one can buy various souvenirs to any taste; there are nesting dolls depicting politicians, famous musicians, grotesque personages.
Bird of Happiness: Wooden Guardian of Family Hearth The fascinating carved wood toy called the Bird of Happiness has long been a guardian of family happiness and wellbeing among the Russian people. In former times such a charm used to hang in every house, under the ceiling at the entrance area, so that every person entering the house passed under it.
The amulet is believed to take away negativities that a guest might bring along, and lets only good things into the house. So it helps to make the house peaceful and free from quarrels and people kinder to each other.
The most important step in making the bird is splitting the bar into thin blades that form the wing and tail feathers. The thinner the blades, the more delicate and laced the bird is. The bars are fastened together, and then the blade feathers of the wings and tail are spread by carefully pulling them apart. The intricate curve of the wings and the tail is due to the structure of the wood. Traditionally, the splinter bird is neither painted nor lacquered, because it is the “living” wood that has beneficial influence on a person.
A flying bird reminds of the Sun, which is the pagan symbol of life-giving source. In Christian mythology the dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The dove appeared before the Virgin Mary on Annunciation Day, and the Holy Spirit as the dove comes down from the sky during baptism of Christ.
Traditional russian doll Types and purposes of dolls Traditional Russian Folk Doll Dolls fall into three big groups according to their purpose: amulet, playing and ritual dolls.
Amulet dolls. It is interesting to note that fabric dolls did not have their faces featured. The custom was associated with olden believes, in particular, with the talisman role of a doll as a magic object. Those ‘faceless dolls’ served as churingas: the absence of a face showed that the doll was an inanimate thing and thus was not accessible for evil powers to settle in it. The doll dresses were always bright-coloured and embroidered with meaningful magic symbols.
Playing dolls were meant for children’s amusement. They were made either by way of stitching or folding. The folded dolls needed neither a needle nor a thread: a wooden stick was enveloped with a thick piece of fabric and then tied around with a rope; then a head and hands were tied to the stick, which was smartly dressed afterwards. Some playing dolls did not need even a stick: a piece of fabric was just rolled round its axes and tied with a thread. In the same way the head and hands were made.
Ritual dolls. Numerous rituals in the Old Rus’ were conducted with the help of specially made dolls. Ritual dolls were held sacred and kept in the Holy corner of izba. It was believed that if a family had a homemade doll of Fertility in the house, it would reap good harvest and enjoy wealth.
The Bather doll stood for the beginning of the swimming season. It was floated down the river, and the straps tied to its hands took away all people’s illnesses and sorrows with them – such was the concept of the all-purifying power of water.
Wedding doll. These dolls were very symbolic - feminine and masculine united in an inseparable whole. It was made without using the scissors and a needle to a child's life was not "cut and not chipped." Before the birth of the baby, to warm the crib, put in this doll. And after birth doll hung over the crib and guarded baby from damage. When the child grew up, he played with it.
Was made after harvest. At the heart of the doll - a bag of seeds collected from the field. Stuffed it in different grains. Also this doll woman made for her to have children. a doll with a tied six babies - as a symbol of maternal love and tenderness
Doll "Desyatiruchka" helped the girl (who recently married) in the household. For children play. While mother is working in the field
To see more. Museum 360 http://www.dymkovo360.ru/ http://www.filimonovo-museum.ru/ http://www.russia-ic.com/
