Gorodets is the town of craftsmen

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FGBOU VPO Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (NNGASU), Russia

Gorodets is the town of craftsmen

Koptelova I.V., Tynnikova A.N.

Abstract

gorodets cultural tourist arts

The given article describes the traditional handicrafts of Gorodets area as a unique object of cultural and historical heritage. The authors note the necessity to create tourist routes to promote the area.

Keywords: center of handicrafts, cultural heritage, popular destination, tourist appeal

Городец - город мастеров

The oldest city of the Nizhniy Novgorod region Gorodets is situated 70 kilometers away from Nizhny Novgorod. Gorodets is the most ancient towns of the Nizhegorodsky area and is the center of handicrafts. It was founded in 1152 by Grand Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. The route of the armies which opposed the Volga Bolgars led directly through Gorodets. At that time the town acted as a shield for the eastern part of the principality. The wooden fort and defensive earth ramparts have been preserved right up to the present day, and could even serve as a defense against unwanted incursions. To continue, in the 14th century the princes had already minted their own currencies out of silver here. By the 17th century, the town had become one of the centers of the wooden ship building on the Volga. In 1772, Peter the Great paid a visit to the dockyards at Gorodets, and in 1767, the empress Catherine II was at the consecration of the church of St Fyodor and The Virgin Mary. Catherine II made over a considerable part of Gorodets to Gregory Orlov; subsequently this part became the property of Count Panin and Princess Volkonsky. In the 17th century, the city became the bulwark and unofficial capital of The Old Belivers. By the 19th century, Gorodets had become into an important trading and economic center as well as a stronghold of shipbuilding [1; 2].

Gorodets is called “The Town of Craftsmen”, because the traditions of folk arts and crafts are carefully preserved and developed in this area. The famous Gorodets painting, golden embroidery, wood carving, gingerbread baking, pottery, caning and gingerbread plate making are still created here [3;4].

The town is surrounded by the forests where some smiths, weavers, dyers and other craftsmen used to live. Many people choose a profession of a wood carver or a carpenter because it was the most practical thing to do. Towns and settlements along the banks of the Volga River had a very favorable location from commercial point of view. One of the biggest Russian fairs - Makarievskaya took place in the immediate vicinity. They were the main reasons for the rapid development of the crafts in the town. Today Gorodets is one of the most popular destinations among the tourist routes famous primarily for its crafts. The town has also received its recognition for the numerous folk crafts: such as wooden carving, golden embroidery, painting and icon painting, wood carving, pottery craft, baking honey cakes and some others.

A regional museum and the locals can help you dive into fairy atmosphere of folk painting and carving. Gorodets historical museum established in July of 1918 is situated in the central part of the town. Its collection is based on the antique collections of the local old-believers A. A. Ovchinnikov and G. M. Pryashnikov. The museum was located in a nationalized mansion of a merchant Oblaev in 1920. The building was distinguished by a round planning of the rooms that was especially good for the museum`s exposition. Today there is a vast collection of Gorodets crafts: spinning wheels, costumes, books and pieces of furniture, folk ceramics and a lot of other unique items. The museum houses about 16 thousand exhibits. The core of the exposition is handmade toys. The visitors can watch how to make a rag doll, a clay penny whistle.

Original Gorodets painting is the most well-known handicraft. Its main theme is bright and lively colored flowers. It is a unique phenomenon of the Russian national culture. This folk art combines the unique artistic features of folk painting.

The roots of such painting go back to the middle of the 18th century when monasteries and hermitages were built around Gorodets. Icon-painters and bookcopyists worked together with monks at these places. Their activities influenced the peasants` crafts. At that time, many Old Believers lived in the area. Old Believers were known for their enlightenment and education. Their beliefs spread widely among the locals, and mingled with superstitions and pagan beliefs. That all gave rise to the development of symbolism in folk art. Later the demand required more and more items to be made. Paintings became real, live and more pictorial. Plots, genres, portraits and new motives appeared. Instead of former idealized images, artists started painting courtly cavaliers and ladies in splendid clothes, groups of women, town residents and scenes of tea drinking. Their rich interiors were full of details, depicted in a very precise way: columns and clocks, high windows and beautiful curtains, magnificent staircases and a kitten playing on the floor [5].

Producing the items wasn`t very complicated. When both an ornamental pattern and a central scene were completed, they were toned up with a white colour, and the whole thing was given a coat of drying oil. A finished composition was usually framed. In the past masters used tempera, then they painted with oil.

At the beginning of the 20^th century a phenomenon of collective folk art, Gorodets painting soon ceased to exist. A revival of Trade House «Gorodetskaya Rospis» began in 1937 when on the basis of a collective work-shop “Stakhanovets” a workshop was set up. In 1960 it was reorganized into «Gorodetskaya Rospis» factory. To improve the working conditions Trade House «Gorodetskaya Rospis» Joint-stock company was set up in 2005 which has the rights to advertise and distribute the products manufactured by «Gorodetskaya Rospis» factory. The painters of the factory are highly qualified specialists. Many of them are the members of the Russian Union of Artists. Their works are exhibited in many Russian and foreign exhibitions, purchased by museums, private galleries and collectors. Now Trade House “Gorodetskaya Rospis” produces a wide choice of products with the traditional patterned and theme painting and wood-carving. These include breadbaskets, kitchen boards, kitchen sets and kits with a number of objects, sets for tea and spices, boxes, salt-cellars, chests, wall panels. The choice of children furniture is also varied and includes tables, chairs, benches, beds, wardrobes, hall-stands [6; 7].

Wood carving is one of the most ancient kind of Russian decorative art. The

Gorodets folk-style is a peculiar phenomenon in the rural dwelling architecture. Originally only the front part of the boats and barges were decorated with the carving. It was called `ship carving'. Gradually this style was used in peasants' houses where the window aprons, plat bands and gates were carved. There are two types of Gorodets wood carving: `openwork' and `house' or `indistinct.' Openwork carving is very light and looks like lace. In the house carving the typical feature is a floral pattern and depictions of mermaids, fairy-tale birds, lions and mythological creatures. Even now in Gorodets you can find houses marvelously carved from the roof to the cellar. One can find pliant branches with leaves, beads, rhombs, ribbons, lace, grapes, rays and many other designs.The beautiful carving is used for decorating boxes, small panels, icon frameworks, small sculptures and honey-cakes boards (for baking honeycakes). Gorodets honey cakes were not only a delicacy but a piece of art. A typical Gorodets honey cake has small dimensions and weight. For special orders honey cakes were baked to be presented to the touring actors, the governor and even to Tsar Nikolay II.

« Gorodetskaya Rospis» company has a museum where the guests and tourists have a chance to get acquainted with the craft history and see the unique objects produced by the artisans. The tourists may take part in a master class of Gorodets painting. Also in the company's store one can buy handicraft products.

Gorodets district is also famous for the unique clay toy - Zhbannikovo penny whistle.

The exact time of the craft origination is not known. On the territory of medieval Gorodets the archeologists have found clay whistles dated to the XЙЙ century. In the beginning of the XX century similar whistles were made in the villages of Zhbannikovo, Proskurino and Roimino.

Golden embroidery is another craft of Gorodets artisans. The bright traditional floral patterns such as roses, fancy flowers or bunches were used to decorate the festival costumes for women. They were proud of their costumes and kept them carefully for their daughters as a reliable asset that would never decrease in value. The golden embroidery of the girls' and the women's headgear - shawls, frontlets, etc. were especially rich in value. The complicated technology of the golden embroidery required special skills. The Gorodets craftswomen were exceptionally skilled in the complicated art of golden embroidery, and had a good sensation of the decorative possibilities of metal threads of various forms.The Gorodets artisans still stick to the old patterns of the fairy-tale grass and plants that express beauty of the nature and are very poetic.

Today the plant also specializes in the manufacture of linen, clothes and ecologically clean textiles, souvenirs with embroidery, coat-of-arms of the cities and regions, panels with various patterns and views. Among the latest works of Gorodets craftsmen there is a panel with the coat-of-arms of the Mikhalkovs dynasty.

Annually a festival «Brotherhood of folk art craftsmen» of national arts and crafts takes place in the Nizhniy Novgorod region. The festival is the unforgettable event during which the artisans from all over Russia can socialize and share their skills and knowledge. The town`s embankment turns into “The Town of Craftsmen”, where one can see how the craftsmen produce masterpieces. The master-classes to make traditional handicrafts such as Gorodets painting, pottery (ceramics), golden embroidery, wood carving, gingerbread baking, caning are held in the open-air exhibitions. All day long the games for children and adults are organized and one can ride horses or try a Russian cuisine.

Russian province is a “golden mine” for tourist routes development with its picturesque landscapes, unique historic monuments and towns which keep their original look. Unfortunately this great potential hasn't been used entirely. And in order to attract potential tourists and satisfy their demands it's necessary to create competitive products on the tourist market. Government has a program to build the tourist complex «The Town of Craftsmen». Government has created a program «Gorodets of the XXI century». According to the developers of the project, Gorodets can be transformed into one of the unique and comfortable facilities during the next five years.

Bibliography

1. www.gorodets.nnov.ru

2. www.gorodetc.ru

3. www.souvenir-s.ru/gorodec

4. Hrancovsky, N.I. A short sketch of the history and the description of Nizhny Novgorod. - N. Novgorod, 1998.

5. Moskaeva A.S., Kocheva E.A., Smirnova E.V. The main design features of the temples. European Journal of Natural History. 2016. № 3. 103-105pp.

6. Tynnikova A.N. Historical and cultural significance of the territory of Blagovetscenskaya Sloboda in Nizhny Novgorod. http:// scienceforum.ru/2016/2147/25021.

7. Smirnova E.V. Specific of the guide-interpreter's job. 17 International Scientific and Industrial Forum, NNGASU 2015, 329-332pp.

8. Tynnikova A.N., Smirnova E.V. Rozhdestvenskaya (Stroganovskaya) church in Nizhny Novgorod as an object of cultural heritage. http:// scienceforum.ru/2016/1719/23815

9. www.tourismnn.ru

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