Filimonov painting and patterns. The history of the Filimonovo toy

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The history of the Filimonovo toy, according to some calculations of historians and archaeologists, began 1000 years ago. It is believed that during archaeological excavations near the Tula region, some of the first, most primitive, clay toys of that period were found. As has been established with certainty, they were made during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Because of some characteristic features, these toys were called whistles. They were small figures of birds, animals and people, which were only decoration for the whistling mechanism.

The purpose of whistles

It is believed that in ancient times, during pagan times, a whistle could scare away an evil demon or spirit, or, conversely, attract the attention of the Sun God and ask him to send rain or drought to the earth, and much more. That is why such a whistling figurine was kept in every home.

Filimonov painting appeared on toys already at the beginning of the 19th century. As the story goes, the Filimonov toy got its name from a runawayconvict - Philemon.

Grandfather was not only a master of pottery, but also a master of making clay toys. He was the first person who began to paint clay toys, which made his invaluable contribution to the development of art not only of the 19th century, but also of the future.

In the village where he took shelter, there was a deposit of blue clay, which served as his material. This village was located near the city of Odoev and, thanks to its history, in the future was called Filimonovka, in honor of the master.

Working on the toy

Subsequently, almost all the men in the village began to make pots from blue clay. Thanks to this art, they were able to feed their families. Not only men, but also women and even children took part in the modeling. It was they who were engaged in the manufacture of whistles in their free time from work in the field and household chores. It was one of their favorite things to do at the time.

Sometimes women, together with their daughters, who at that time could not be more than 7-8 years old, sat in a circle and, singing beautiful old Russian folk songs, sculpted their clay toys.

The meaning of the Filimonov toy

Filimonov's toy was bought home, bought for a gift. Having a toy was a very good sign. It was believed that she brings happiness, good luck, family well-being to the house, and also protects from slander and evil spells.

Filimonov's toy for children was the so-called guard, a talisman that protected the kids from evil. Many of the historiansIt is believed that at the dawn of its creation such a whistle was not a child's toy. She had a completely different purpose. If you look closely, then on each figurine you can see magic signs (Filimonov patterns) that have a certain meaning.

The shape of the toy is also interesting. She suggests that each of them stands for something.

Kiln firing

Throughout the year, people were engaged in the manufacture of clay objects, and then, one of the spring days, in the center of a large field, before starting to process it, they held a big holiday. It consisted in burning all the clay products, and after the holiday, taking them to the market for sale.

To begin with, they dug a large hole in the center of the field, which they lined with bricks, making brick coasters (shelves) for dishes (such an unusual oven was called a forge), and then set fire to the straw, which was laid out on the dishes. After the straw burned down, they waited for the clay to cool down, and then they each took their own, now white, product home.

The main place on the shelves was occupied by clay jugs, and between the jugs women put their crafts. Interestingly, after firing, the blue clay became a beautiful white color. The Filimonov toy, whose photo can be seen in books and magazines devoted to Russian folk art, and in the modern world and in electronic sources, has exactly this distinctive feature.

This is very convenient. In order to paint in the future, it does not need to be covered with special paint for the base. The baked clay is already prepared for work.

Filimonov toys. Their looks

It is generally accepted that Filimonov's toys have a certain shape, which contains some specific designation.

One of the most important images is the image of a woman. It is believed that the image of a woman (lady) personifies the image of a mother, whose main goal, of course, is the continuation of the family and, in general, all life on Earth. Visually, this figure looks very unusual.

Another image is an animal. The bear carries a symbol of masculinity, strength, and also personifies the arrival of spring - new life. The deer is a symbol of family well-being and happiness in marriage, the warmth of relations between spouses. Traditionally, a deer is given to newlyweds on their wedding day as a charm for their future family. The horse is the personification of all living things. It was believed that the horse is a symbol of water, sun, fertility. The cow is the embodiment of cheerfulness and fortitude.

Next to the woman, as a rule, birds were always depicted. It was the birds in the old days that were considered the image of the resurrection of all life on Earth. Dawn, the awakening of the earth, nature - this is all the personification of birds.

None of the toys look like real figures of animals and birds. The figures of people resemble them very remotely. It is possible to understand which of the people is molded from clay only thanks to the details of clothing, on which there are certain elements of the Filimonov painting.

A woman usually wears a bell-bottom skirt and a blouse, while a man wears a brightly colored shirt and pants.

Filimonov painting is very unusual, bold, captivating look. Patterns on clothes speak of the most important thing - the connection between man and nature.

Many people want to know how to draw a Filimonov toy. The outfit is a bright, clear drawings randomly scattered throughout the clothes. Spots and circles, leaves and dots, dashes and stars and many other elements of painting were painted on clothes. The woman always had a multi-colored skirt, a rich bright crimson blouse, and a hat decorated with a bright border. A man's shirt had to stand out.

Filimonov painting. Face painting

The face has always been the same. Eyes and eyebrows were painted in blue or black on a white background. Sometimes the eyes were green. The shape of the eyes has always been the same. The eyes are dashes. The mouth must have been crimson.

It was never allowed to draw expressive facial features. It was believed that the figure is a charm, so it was the face of the toy that was supposed to scare away evil spirits.

Primary colors

One of the distinguishing features that Filimonov painting had was the color of the paints used. It was possible to apply shades of only 3 colors: crimson, yellow and green. And only occasionally was it allowed to use blue and purple paint.

Another Filimonovo toy, the painting of which was always the same, is an animal. His body and neck were always painted across, and the color scheme used was the same: green, yellow and crimson. As a result, the animalpainted with multi-colored stripes with a red or green muzzle.

It is interesting that the whistle is a Filimonovo toy, the coloring of which is done not with special brushes for drawing, but with brushes made from chicken feathers.

The rite of "pandemonium"

Every person at least once in his life, but heard this expression. However, few people correctly understand the meaning of the expression "arrange a pandemonium." People think that this expression means a quarrel or a showdown, that is, an opportunity to prove something to someone.

In fact, in the middle of the 19th century it was one of the most beautiful, interesting ceremonies. On a certain day of the year, absolutely everyone went out into the street and began to sing, dance and whistle all together. By these actions, they wanted to bow to the dead relatives, it was a certain rite of remembrance. After the perfect actions, people could ask God for whatever they wanted. Some called for rain, others thanked God for a good harvest or just good weather. Everyone around was happy and enjoyed life.

Filimonov modeling in our time

For many, the Filimonov toy, the coloring of clay figurines, has historical significance. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were very few masters of Filimonovo painting left. If it weren’t for Nikolai Denisov’s interest in folk art in the 50s and 80s of the twentieth century, the secrets of craftsmanship would forever be a thing of the past.

It is thanks to the creation of a group of graduatesAbramtsevo School and uniting them with the descendants of the Filimonov masters, this work has reached a new level.

Painting a Filimonovo toy, as well as creating its clay base, takes a lot of time. For several days (approximately 3-5, depending on the size of the toy), the figure must be constantly ironed with wet hands. This is done in order to remove small cracks that occur when the product dries - a characteristic feature of blue clay.

Only after the toy is completely dry, it is sent to the oven, where it becomes a beautiful white color. And only then they begin to paint it.

Children and pretty toys

Classes with such products in preschool institutions received great approval and support. Filimonov painting in kindergarten is one of the creative projects that are firmly entrenched in the toddler education program.

In the process of drawing (children write in watercolor), the teacher introduces preschoolers to the history of the creation of the Filimonovo toy, the main principles of its coloring, and also introduces children to folk art, making them feel and understand how art affects our lives in the future.

Filimonov Toys Museum

All over Russia there are many museums with Filimonov toys. The largest, specialized museum is located in the Tula region in Odoevo.

Here you can completely plunge into the era of Filimonov painting, and also try to mold a blue clay toy yourself. ATAs a result, everyone will remember this amazing place not only with a Filimonov toy made by their own hands, a photo in the museum and the impression of a miracle they saw, but most importantly, the experience of communicating with real masters of the ancient craft.