At all times of mankind, from primitive tribes to the present day, he was accompanied by toys. Initially, these were primitive figures of gods that people worshiped, but gradually they became an educational and entertaining attribute for children.
Abashevskaya toy is quite “young”, this type of folk craft is only 200 years old, but it has its own history and specific “registration”.
The story of the clay toy
Pottery has its roots in ancient times, so it is impossible to find out who first began to form and burn figures of people and animals from the remains of clay after sculpting dishes. Abashevskaya clay toy is named so due to its "origin" from the village of the same name in the Spassky district of the Penza province.
In the village of Abashevo, most households were engaged in the production of dishes, but 12 farms began to produce toys that were in demand.
Some masters relied on the traditions of antiquity, but there were also those that gave rise to completely new forms that were passed down in the family from generation to generation. The Abashevskaya toy, whose history is directly connected with the history of the village, was able to "survive" and maintain its originality to this day.
The village of Abashevo
Most of the population of the village adhered to the Old Believers. Avoiding communication with non-Christians, the schismatics chose folk types of crafts, which can be limited to the community. They had fairly strict rules that prescribed to avoid non-Christians, both at the level of personal communication and household attributes.
Their religion was reflected in the whistles, the “calling card” of which was the Abashev toy in the form of a deer with horns as high as a staircase to heaven. Most of the motifs of clay trifles were animal figurines, which since ancient times for the Slavs symbolized various aspects of life:
- bird is good luck, happiness;
- the horse symbolized the sun;
- bear - strength, power and might;
- sheep and cow - a symbol of fertility;
- deer - abundance.
Abashevskaya toy (the photo reflects this) was often made by masters in the form of people characterizing the attitude of their author to the world around him. For example, the ladies symbolized stupid city girls in funny hats, and the attitude towards the authorities was often performed in the form of a figure of a policeman or policeman. If they had birds in their hands, it meant that thieves were in power.
Early 20th centuryAbashev's toy became so popular that its exhibitions were held not only in Moscow, but also in London and Paris.
Distinctive features of the Abashev toy
The special form of toys from the village of Abashevo instantly distinguishes them from dozens of types of crafts made by craftsmen from other areas. Elongated bodies and exorbitantly long necks with a small head in animals were the embodiment of the world of the amazing master Larion Zotkin. At the beginning of the 20th century, both the shape and color of clay pipes from Abashevo were already fully formed.
Although all the "heroes" of the Abashevo masters are quite recognizable, they have some fantastic features:
- elongated disproportionate bodies of animals stand steadily on short, widely spaced legs;
- long thick necks end with a small head;
- carefully and deeply cut eyes;
- the heads of goats, deer, bulls and rams are decorated with large, often multi-tiered horns;
- clear lines of bangs, manes and beards.
In its form, the Abashev toy is more reminiscent of rock art, when ancient people were just learning to embody the world around them through drawing. The horns of animals symbolize the tree of life, and their tails are a hole where you need to blow in order for the toy to begin to “speak”. Masters from Abashev never sculpted scenes from life, did not give movement to their handicrafts. They all stand firmly on their feet, symbolizing strong roots with mother earth.
Due to the fact that this kind of folk craft was concentratedin one village, he initiated the birth of dynasties of craftsmen.
Dynasties of Abashevsky masters
The Zotkin dynasty, the most famous masters of clay toys, began with Akinfiy Frolovich, born in 1883, and his brother Larion. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren are alive today and continue the traditions of their great-grandfathers.
It was Larion Zotkin who in the 20-30s gave a “new” life to the Abashev toy. A pottery artel was even organized in the village. His works formed the basis of the works of his followers. The Abashevskaya toy (the photo shows this) has its own museum, but not only in the native village, the works of the Zotkin dynasty are exhibited. They are in the museums of Penza, Sergiev Posad and in private collections.
Among other famous surnames of the dynasty are the Zuzenkovs, Malyshevs, Eskins, Nagaevs and others. Each new generation brought its own vision to the image of the Abashev toy.
Clay preparation
Before thinking how to mold an Abashev toy, special attention should be paid to preparing the clay for work. In the 19th century, the extraction of the required grade of clay was often accompanied by a risk to life. It was prepared in the winter with a margin for many months.
Today, clay can be taken from a quarry or bought in a store. If the clay is from the place of its extraction, without synthetic additives, then it should first be dried. After that, the clay is crushed, removing impurities, and diluted with water in a ratio of 1/3.
It is important that the mass is without lumps. The diluted material should be left for some time to allow sand and otherimpurities settled to the bottom of the tank.
Cleaned in this way, the clay should be allowed to thicken slightly to the level of dough for dumplings, then carefully knead with your hands, removing excess air. To check the readiness of the clay for work, roll up a "sausage" from it and slowly bend it into a horseshoe. If it does not crack, you can start sculpting.
Modeling Abashev toys
Today, one of the ways to develop hand motor skills, imagination and interest in folk crafts in children is to teach them to sculpt figures from plasticine and clay. Starting with the simplest and most understandable clay “pancakes” and “sausages” for kids, you can show them how to sculpt an Abashev toy in stages:
- Clay is carefully kneaded with fingers to warm the material and give it elasticity.
- Roll up a “sausage” from a lump of clay with a thickened end, like a carrot.
- Into the thicker part of the workpiece, insert a wooden rounded bar to the middle of its size, which will leave the void inside the toy necessary for the whistle.
- Bend the upper part of the clay blank over the bar - this will be the neck of the animal, from the end of which a small muzzle is molded.
- Remove the bar from the body, sculpt small thickened legs, and pull out the "tail" in the form of a pipe mouthpiece.
- Make holes on the sides of the body to make the pipe whistle
You can cut out not only eyes, but also “wool”, a bridle, and various decorations with a stack. Older children can sculpt the horns on their own, it is easier for kids to start with dogs and cats that they are familiar with. It will be interesting to make such a toy not only for a child. Many adults are beginning to get involved in pottery, one of the types of which is the Abashev toy.
Firing and painting
After the product has dried, it must be fired. The old masters used special furnaces for this - round furnaces made of refractory bricks. The standard size of such stoves was 1.5 m wide and 2 m high, and once in Abashevo, almost every courtyard was kindled daily forges to make dishes or toys strong and durable.
To prevent the toys from cracking, they were covered with shards, and the stove was heated with oak or birch firewood. After firing, the next stage that the Abashev toy went through was coloring. It is characterized by a manner of painting recognizable by all - the finished product was covered with a continuous layer of monophonic bright paint. Masters of the 19th century used glaze, but after oil paints appeared, they switched to them.
Coated with a layer of oil paint, the figures dried, after which small elements were painted and varnished at the last stage. With the advent of enamel, the need for varnishing has disappeared.
In modern pottery kilns, the process is faster and with greater safety for products, and using clay bought in specialized stores, there is nothing easier than understanding how to make an Abashev toy with your own hands.
Museum in Abashevo
Through the efforts of enthusiasts and craftsmen who still live in Abashevo today, a museum of clay toys has been set up in the former house of the Zotkins. The collection contains both products of masters of the 19th - early 20th centuries, as well as those who produced toys in the artel, and later at the factory.
Revival of the Abashevo craft
A specially created fund for the revival of the Abashev toy makes sure that the traditions of the old masters continue to live. The Foundation encourages young people to show interest in this kind of art, for which a new faculty has been opened at Spassky College - a “specialist in ceramics.”
