Russian Folk Art (Indiana-Michigan Series in Russian and East European Studies)

RUSSIAN Folk Art describes the traditions, styles, and functions of a broad range of objects made by Russian peasant artists for local use by specialized artisans for trade. Beginning with the settings in which artists traditionally worked— the peasant household, the village, and the local market— Alison Hilton discusses the principal media they employed (wood, textiles, birch bak, bone, metal, and ceramics) and the items they produced: kitchen utensils such as bowls, goblets, dippers, and molds; tools used in making clothing; lace, embroidered linens, costumes, and everyday clothing; toys; elaborate window frames and house decorations; colorful broadsides called lubki. This remarkable survey emphasizes the cumulative originality inherent in Russian folk art. the balance between time-honored forms and techniques, and the creativity of individual artists. It show how pervasive images designs evolved from ancient Slavic sources, absorbed elements of church, court, and urban arts, reflected historical events and daily life, and helped to form a Russian esthetic identity in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Finally, it examines the complex interaction between folk art and high culture: the role of serf artists, the preservation and reinterpretation of folk arty by scholars and professional artists, and the new roles of folk art in the Soviet era. PART I: THE ARTS IN PEASANT LIFE 1. Tradition and Discovery 2. Village and Izba 3. Domestic Tasks and Tools 4. Specialization and Originality: Some Peasant Artists PART II: MATERIALS AND FORMS 5. Wood and Carved Ornament 6. Painting on Wood 7. Textile Arts and Costume 8. Beyond the Village: Specialized Crafts and Urban Folk Art 9. Toys in All Media PART III: DESIGNS AND THEIR MEANINGS 10. Amulet, Ornament, and Ritual 11. Transformation of the Slavic Legacy 12. Heraldic Beasts and Guardian Figures: The Evolution of Motifs 13. Scenes from Life and Forms from the Past PART IV: PRESERVATION AND REVIVAL OF RUSSIAN FOLK ART 14. Serf Artists, Peasant Painters, and the Rise of Genre 15. National Art and Folk Art 16. Artistic Renewal 17. Folk Art and New Languages of Art 18. Reshaping Folk Art in the Soviet Era Glossary Notes Selected Bibliography Index Russian Folk Art surveys the traditions, styles, and functions of the many objects made by Russian peasant artists and artisans. Placing the objects within the settings in which folk artists worked -- the peasant household, the village, and the local market -- Alison Hilton discusses the principal media artists employed and the items they produced, from dippers and goblets to clothing and window frames. Emphasizing the balance between time-honored forms and techniques and the creativity of individual artists, the book explores how images and designs helped to form a Russian esthetic identity in the 19th and 20th centuries. Abundantly illustrated with examples from Russian museums, Russian Folk Art is a treasure for anyone interested in Russian culture. Describes the traditions, styles, and functions of a range of objects made by Russian peasant artists and artisans. Suitable for those interested in Russian culture, this work emphasizes the cumulative originality of Russian folk art, the balance between time-honored forms and techniques, and the creativity of individual artists. Part I: The Arts In Peasant Life -- Part Ii: Materials And Forms -- Part Iii: Designs And Their Meanings -- Part Iv: Preservation And Revival Of Russian Folk Art. Alison Hilton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [289]-346) And Index.