The appearance of the craft falls on the beginning of human occupation. From ancient times, the rudiments of craft activity have been known .
The concept of crafts
Craft is a manufacturing activity based on the manufacture of industrial objects with the help of small manual labor, prevailing until the development of machine production and preserved under it.
A person who is engaged in the professional manufacture of objects is called a craftsman.
What is a folk craft
Folk craft refers to items that are made using ordinary improvised materials and simple designs. Folk crafts are diverse in their creative activities, products are made with their own hands and most often from natural materials or close to them (wood, fabrics, metal, etc.). This type of activity was formed from home craft when necessary household items were made. Like art, folk crafts developed depending on culture, religion, and sometimes political views.
Craft history
The craft has a long history of occurrence. Primitive communities were most often engaged in home craft, making objects from stone, bone, clay, wood, etc. Home craft is the production of products necessary for farming. In some places, these days, this activity is of great importance.
Later, people began to lead a sedentary lifestyle, artisans appeared. Many artisans worked on the farmland of kings, temples, monasteries and slaveholders (Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece and the countries of Mesopotamia). Initially, the craftsman worked alone, but since it gave a small income, the craftsmen began to join in groups. These groups were called artels and took orders from the public. Some of the craftsmen walked around cities and villages, while others lived and worked in one place. Crafts and crafts to order gave rise to the emergence and development of cities as centers of crafts and trade. The names of streets that indicate the place of work of a particular master have been preserved to this day in many settlements. For example, Pottery - it was organized the production of clay products, Leather - processing of leather, production of leather products, shoe repair, Brick - production of bricks.
In the Middle Ages , a form of professional craft appeared. A new social layer has appeared in cities - these are urban artisans. The main branches of urban craft were: the manufacture of metal objects, needlework, the manufacture of glass products, etc. City masters had such privileges as city law, craft workshops, and their own freedom.
With the advent of the industrial revolution, many types of crafts lost their superiority in production, and machines began to be used in factories. Today, artisans have survived in industries that serve the personal needs of customers, and in the manufacture of expensive art products (shoemakers, tailors, jewelers, artists, etc.).
The history of the development of crafts in Russia
The population of Russian cities mainly consisted of artisans. Most of them were engaged in blacksmithing. Later, blacksmithing was formed from blacksmithing. Its products were in great demand in Europe. The manufacture of weapons allocated masters for the manufacture of bows, rifles, quivers, etc. The armor of Russian artisans was considered an order of magnitude higher than Turkish, Syrian and Italian.
According to information from the annals, in 1382 there were already guns in Russia. In the 14th century a foundry was formed (casting bells). With the invasion of the Mongols, production fell into decay.
Jewelery served the needs of the aristocracy. The surviving products (icons, gold belts, dishes, book bindings) testify to the high professionalism of jewelry masters in the field of engraving, art casting, forging, niello and coinage. In the 14th century, coinage began in several Russian principalities, which formed the cash craft. Leather, shoe and pottery crafts were designed for the market and a wide range of customers. A variety of dishes, toys, and building materials were made from clay. In addition, stone churches (mainly made of white stone) were built in Moscow and other cities and a tower clock was installed with a battle.
The works of the masters made a great contribution to the restoration of destruction after the Tatar-Mongol conquests. Russian crafts influenced the preparation of economic prerequisites for the creation of a Russian centralized state.
Since 1917, the number of artisans in Russia has fallen sharply; they have united in commercial cooperation. However, even now Russian crafts include several world famous folk art crafts.
Different types and types of crafts
Types of crafts are formed from the material from which the item is made. For a long time people know such crafts as:
- Blacksmithing.
- Carpentry.
- Weaving.
- Pottery.
- Joiner's.
- Spinning.
- Jewelry.
- Bakery.
- Leather.
blacksmith craft
Blacksmithing is one of the first occupations that appeared in Russia. People were always surprised to see the blacksmith working. They could not understand how the master made such amazing objects from gray metal. For many peoples, blacksmiths were considered almost wizards.
Earlier blacksmithing required special knowledge and a specially equipped workshop with many tools. Metal was smelted from swamp ore, which was mined in spring and autumn. Old Russian blacksmiths made sickles, openers, braids for farmers, and spears, swords, axes, arrows for warriors. In addition, the farm always needed knives, fishing hooks, keys and locks, needles, etc.
Today, technological progress has somewhat changed and improved the blacksmithing craft, but it is still in demand. Art forging is decorated with offices, apartments, country houses, parks, squares, especially it is in demand in landscape design.
Jewelry craft
Jewelry craft is one of the oldest in the history of mankind. Products from gold, silver and precious stones have long been considered a sign of power and wealth of the aristocratic class. In the 10-11 centuries, jewelry masters were famous for their talent throughout Europe. People from ancient times were passionate fans of jewelry. Beads were made of precious metals or colored glass, pendants with various patterns (usually animals), silver temporal rings that were hung from a headdress or woven into a hairdo, rings, colts, etc.
In the 18th century in Russia was the heyday of jewelry. Just at that time, the profession of "gold and silver craftsman" began to be called the "jeweler." In the 19th century, Russian masters had their own style, thanks to which now Russian jewelry remains unique. The famous companies of the brothers Grachev, Ovchinnikov and Faberge began their work.
Nowadays, the population in connection with the growth of well-being more and more in need of highly artistic jewelry.
Pottery
It is known that pottery was produced in Russia from the 10th century. This was done manually, and in most female hands. To increase the strength and durability of the product, small shells, sand, quartz, granite, and sometimes plants and fragments of ceramics were mixed with clay.
Potter circles appeared a little later , which facilitated the work of the potters. The circle was set in motion by hand, and then kicked. At the same time, men began to engage in pottery.
Pottery reached the industrial scale in the 18th century. In St. Petersburg, and a little later in Moscow, ceramic factories appeared.
Items made by modern potters still delight. Today, pottery is a popular activity in many regions of Russia, and the demand for handmade ceramic products is constantly growing.