In Kirov in 2011 the Museum of the Dymkovo toy was opened. This event has been waiting for many years for local residents and visitors, as bright, painted, funny products of local craftswomen have long been a visiting card of Vyatka, and abroad - of Russia.
The unusual village of Dymkovo
It is believed that the Dymkovo toy was born in the XV-XVI centuries in the settlement of Dymkovo, which was located near the city of Vyatka (Khlynova, Kirov). In almost every family of this unique settlement there lived a craftswoman who sculpted funny figures of people and animals from local red clay, and passed on her skill to her daughter and granddaughter. The toys of each family had their own peculiarities: they differed in shape, color, ornament and made it possible to accurately determine the hand of the master. So the traditions of the folk craft of the Dymkovo toy were born.
At that time they were in demand at city fairs. Most often, children played in them - parents carried colorful whistles as a gift. But they were bought to decorate the house.
From 30 to 50 families in Dymkovo dug clay, softened it, rubbed chalk and dyes, and after finishing work in the fields, they sculpted, dried and burned the figures until spring. We started painting closer to the fair, especially in a hurry for the holiday of Whistle.
Whistle or Vyatka whistle
There is a legend in the Vyatka region that tells about the appearance of the Dymkovo toy. In the XIV-XV centuries, foreigners attacked the city of Khlynov and wanted to storm it. Citizens called for help from neighbors from Veliky Ustyug. Those responded and rushed to the rescue. But they came to the city at night and on the other side, unexpected for Vyatichi. Taking them for the enemy, the besieged rushed into battle. There was a terrible fratricidal massacre.
Although there is no documentary evidence of this fact, local residents considered the event reliable and commemorated the commemoration day in memory of those who died that night. In the morning, everyone gathered in a memorial chapel for a solemn requiem, and then they held public festivities as a sign of the victory of life over death. Fist fights were held at the Svistoplyaska festival, clay balls were rolled from the high bank of the Vyatka River, they sang and dances were played. Of course, there were many treats and goodies. But clay toys were the main ones at the holiday. Female figures symbolized widows mourning the dead husbands. A variety of whistles stocked up everything from small to large, and all day walked through the streets, arranging a bang. The description of the holiday by travelers appeared only in the 19th century, but its roots are clearly pagan.
Over time, the traditions of Whistling have changed, fist fights and balloons have disappeared. Remained funny festivities and naughty whistle around the city. The event has become more like a fun fair. The last holiday took place in the late 20s of the last century. Then the tradition completely disappeared.
First toys
The same travelers called clay toys that the merchants brought for sale amazing and inimitable. It was hard to guess what kind of animal the figure depicts: a bear or a goat, or even something fantastic. In the Kirov Museum of Dymkovo toys from the earliest handicrafts are stored products made at the end of the XIX century. Until then, it never occurred to anyone that cheap clay whistles are of any value. When the fashion appeared in the capital to decorate the house with porcelain figurines, provincial Vyatichi began to put clay Dymkovo figures on window sills and on cabinets. There was a demand for elegant young ladies, painted gentlemen and funny animals.
Outfits of the mistresses were painted, in strict accordance with the latest fashion, this increased their cost. Lush skirts and flounces, hats with ribbons and hoods with lace, umbrellas and reticules - these carefully made details are present on the figures of those years.
Not a toy, but a souvenir
In 1882, Dymkovo toys were presented at the All-Russian Art and Industrial Exhibition in Moscow. Visitors showed a genuine interest in unusual, funny figures.
Products of Vyatka masters began to buy in other cities of Russia. And after eight years, the exposition occupied not a small corner, but a whole department. In 1890, the artist A. Benoit organized the First Toy Exhibition, where Vyatka became the leader. It was then that collectors appeared, thanks to which the first whistles and figures can be seen in the Vyatka Museum of Clay Toys.
Toys of the beginning of the XX century
The Dymkovo souvenir at that time was made by the craftsmen in the same way as their mothers and grandmothers - the first toys. Local clay was prepared for work, crumpled, made elastic. Hands now sculpted complex compositions, applying various elements of decor to decorate. Then dried the product for several days. Then there was to be fired in a Russian stove. The figurine was prepared for painting. To do this, she was whitened with a solution of chalk in milk. And only then they painted with paints mixed on egg white. The brushes were, of course, homemade. And for special beauty, pieces of gold leaf were applied.
As can be seen in the museum’s exposition, a feature of the history of the Dymkovo toy is the transformation of the products themselves, and not the technology of their manufacture. The skill of the women of the Dymkovo settlement gradually increased from simple, funny whistles to complex and intricate compositions. Now it was not just mistresses and gentlemen, ducks and cows. Craftswomen sculpted everything that they saw around them.
The value of Dymkovo toys is that by looking at them, you can literally study the details of a suburban, provincial life, they are reproduced so accurately in products. Here the herd comes from the pasture, and the women with the cowlings are waiting for the cows. A nanny walks with children, and a military man with a mustache looks after a flirty lady.
The first book about the Dymkovo toy was published on the eve of revolutionary events in Russia, in 1917. Thanks to Alexei Denshin, this craft did not disappear in the difficult years of the country's life, but was restored with the revival of the best traditions.
Soviet craftsmen - golden hands of the haze
The attention of the state and the public to the Dymkovo industry either disappeared during the years of hard times, or, thanks to enthusiasm and dedication, was revived again. In addition to A. Denshin, a landscape painter, ascetic and connoisseur of the Dymkovo craft, who worked hard to preserve the production of toys, the names of the craftswomen who never left work in the craft and transferred their skills to daughters and granddaughters are known.
The museum of Dymkovo clay toy exhibits collections made by entire dynasties of famous craftswomen. These are the families of the Mezrins, Koshkins, Non-Cash, Penkins. Life in the settlement of Dymkovo changed, and the theme of compositions expanded. For example, a collective farm motive arose with its farm, field work, and poultry house. And someone was developing the theme of fairy tales and past.
Even during the years of World War II, toy production was resumed already in 1942. Positive, optimistic work was compared to a peppy, warlike song. After the war, funds were allocated for improving working conditions and training craftswomen. Dymkovo toy again became a participant in various exhibitions of various levels. So it was recognized abroad.
The work of V. G. Kharlamov
The Kirov Museum of Dymkovo Toys greets visitors with an unexpected work. The painting on the wall called “Dymkovo craft” shows the settlement in which the craft was born, its nature and historical landscape. In addition, portraits of the oldest craftswomen and young students, women, whose efforts have been used for many centuries by the Dymkovo toy, are collected on the canvas.
V. G. Kharlamov, a local artist, painted his painting in 1982, and by the opening of the museum restored it and added new faces and events.
The modern Museum of the Dymkovo toy of Kirov
The opening took place in March 2011 with funds allocated by the city administration as a grant for the development of fishing. Currently, the museum owns a collection containing more than 700 exhibits. He is the keeper of the traditions of handicrafts and helps to increase interest in the work of masters, in the development of tourism in the Vyatka region.
Address of the Museum of Dymkovo Toy Kirov: st. Liberty, 67. It is located in the same building as the Kirov branch of the Union of Artists of Russia. Almost all craftsmen working today in the craft are members of the Union. The created museum, in addition to the permanent exhibition, has the opportunity to arrange personal exhibitions of its masters. In the museum you can watch documentaries on the history of the development of folk crafts.
The peculiarity of creating a toy is that over the past century the technology has not undergone any changes. The same red local clay is used, the product is sculpted manually, which makes it unique. Firing, carried out earlier in the Russian furnace, is now done in electric at a temperature of 900 degrees. Paint toys with tempera paints.
Mode of operation
The telephone number of the Dymkovo Toy Museum in Kirov can be found on the museum’s official website. The time of his work is also indicated there: from 10:00 to 18:00, seven days a week.
Dymkovo craft is a unique phenomenon of folk art. For 400 years of its existence, he not only did not waste, but was enriched with new topics, plots, ideas, which the Museum of the Dymkovo Toy of Kirov demonstrates.
Despite the high qualifications of the artists working here, an art council has been operating for 50 years, which consists only of the most experienced craftswomen. They value every thing, monitor the observance of traditions, and encourage creative growth.
A shop is opened at the workshop and museum, where you can always choose a work of authorship, please yourself and friends with a real Dymkovo toy.