In the literary works of Russian classics now and then there are words that have long gone in history. So, the word "chaise" can be found in many imperishable works: on such a cart drawn by three horses, Chichikov traveled, the hero of "Dead Souls", Bilibin from the four-volume "War and Peace" also packed things into it, the heroes of Shukshin traveled in the same way , Sholokhov and many other authors. This kind of carts is also mentioned in the songs: a vivid example of this is “Chicken,” a gypsy song.
So what is this carriage, and how does it differ from other modes of transport, such as carriages? We will analyze what a chaise is, and try to establish the meaning of the word. We’ll tell you what they are and how they differ.
Etymology of the word "chaise"
This type of horse-drawn transport was widespread in Europe in the 17th century. In Russia, such horse-drawn carts began to be actively used only from the 18th century. There are several versions about the origin of the word "chaise".
So, some experts argue that the etymological source was a diminutive of the Polish word bryka, meaning a light open cart. Other scholars believe that its term appears in Russian due to the Italian biroccio (gig), which, through the German birutsche (half-open light wagon) was subsequently transformed into a chaise.
What it is
Almost everybody knows that a chaise is such a light horse-drawn carriage used to transport people or goods. However, few can answer this question in more detail.
It is today we use cars for movement and travel, and our relatively narrow-minded ancestors actively used various horse- drawn carts . Carriages, tarantasses, dormezs, chaises - this is not a complete list of vehicles. Each of them had its purpose: for comfortable movement around the city or traveling long distances, for noble gentlemen and ordinary citizens, for the transport of agricultural and postal goods or people. These horse-drawn carts were most actively used in the south and west of Russia, and in more snowy regions passenger carts were most popular, in which the wheels could easily be replaced with skids.
What are the chaises
Due to the fact that the chaise was many times lighter and more comfortable than a bulky tarantass, it could be used both for short trips and for long trips. Conventionally, all carts of this type can be divided into three types: these are barriques with springs, simple springless and mail. In addition, the chaise could be both closed and open body. The top of the body in closed chaise, as a rule, was made of leather or wood.
Polish wagons were very popular in Russia. In the cold season, it could be insulated, and in summer - removed or made reclining, like a convertible. As Gogol wrote, in Chichikov’s chaise, the top of the body, which was a kind of tent, was “covered with leather curtains with two round windows from the rain.” These windows were intended for admiring landscapes.
Although most historians define this mode of transport as a four-wheeled cart, two-wheeled carts were also widely distributed, which were mostly used in the city. In addition, depending on the type of carriage, the coachman could sit both separately from the passengers, on the goats (so, next to the charioteer Chichikov Selifan was his lackey Petrushka), and together with them. By the way, the famous English detective Sherlock Holmes also often used the English version of the chaise - a cab.
Features of this type of transport
Regardless of the type of chaise and its purpose, all historical and literary descriptions of such carts claim that their main feature was the unimaginable noise emitted during the movement. So, in the works of Chekhov, the chaise tinkled and squealed in all its parts, rattled and rumbled at Sholokhov, rattled rattling at Serafimovich. And David Davidovich Burliuk, a Russian artist and poet, in one of his poems, addressing a bird with a not very pleasant voice, wrote: "Like an old broken trick in the steppe sounds, oh bird, your singing."
The appearance of the chaise
This light wagon consisted of two parts - the running gear and the fixed body fixed on it. The chassis was two or four wheels, paired on axles. In spring braches, it was the rear of the body that was attached to the wheels with two elliptical springs. Thanks to this, riding in a chaise for passengers was more comfortable.
The bottom of the wagon was solid and, as a rule, was made of wood, and the sides could be either completely closed or have lattice lining and were made of various materials.
In the back of the chaise, designed to move people, could sit as two (two-wheeled chaise), and four passengers.
Where can I see?
And although in our time horseback riding is almost impossible to meet with a city dweller, trinkets are still used in villages and villages. In addition, there are museums that display both miniature copies of vehicles that have gone down in history and full-scale exhibits. So, residents and guests of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region can look at the chaise and other carts of past centuries in the Museum of Urban Electric Transport or in the museum "Station Caretaker's House". There is a carriage museum in Belarus, which also presents this type of horse-drawn transport. There is a similar museum in Hungary in the city of Kösthei.
Also, in many equestrian clubs in different cities of Russia and neighboring countries, transport services of the past are provided - if you wish, you can try yourself as a passenger in a carriage, chaise, chaise or crew.
In Vladikavkaz, a monument has been erected depicting Pushkin riding a cart driven by oxen.
The use of the word "chaise" today
And although few representatives of the young generation know what equestrian transport of the past looked like, the word “chaise” has not completely disappeared. Moreover, today it is not only called a horse-drawn cart drawn by one horse. Often this word is used to describe very old cars, which a long time ago it was time to send for a well-deserved rest along with horse-drawn carts such as a tarantas, a red-haired or cart.