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Collections of the Russian museum

Folk Art

The Russian Museum collection of folk art is one of the largest in the country. It reflects all the main types of folk decorative art from the prominent local centres of crafts and folk arts and allows to trace their development over the period from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries.

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The collection of the museum department of folk art is based on that of the former St. Petersburg Museum of Crafts of the Ministry of Agriculture and State Property and also on that of the School of Folk Arts. The Crafts Museum had an extensive and varied collection of objects of folk life that in 1937 and early 1938 were transferred to the department of folk art of the Russian Museum.

In 1938, part of the collection of the museums of the Stieglitz Academy and Society for the Encouragement of the Arts was acquired via the Hermitage. A number of works was transferred to the new department by the Historical Museum in Moscow and the museums of Vladimir, Zagorsk, Cherepovets and Ustyuzhna and related departments of the Russian Museum itself.

At the same time the regular replenishment of folk art collection began. Some works were acquired from art collectors and authors — folk artists, others came to the museum collection after major art exhibitions. However, the main source of obtaining new acquisitions was through expeditions, which from the first months of the department’s work became an important form of the specialists’ activity. In addition to the acquisition of art objects, the task of the expeditions was to study the problems of folk art in the field, to identify centres of folk arts and crafts and provide support to the contemporary masters and their enterprises.

The collection of the State Russian Museum reflects all main types of folk art: carving and painting on wood, patterned weaving, printed cloth, pottery, metal work, wooden and clay toys, embroidery, bone carving, lacework, knitting and carpet weaving. They not only demonstrate the variety of methods of work with traditional natural materials, but also the diversity of means of expression and stylistic trends in every type of folk art.

Zoya Penkina. Mother of Large Family

Zoya Penkina. Mother of Large Family.

1961 г. Kirov.

Elizaveta Zvezdina. Cavalry. Valance

Elizaveta Zvezdina. Cavalry. Valance.

1940 г. Kirishi District, Leningrad Region.

Zoya Penkina. Mother of Large Family

Zoya Penkina.

Mother of Large Family

1961 г.

Elizaveta Zvezdina. Cavalry. Valance

Elizaveta Zvezdina.

Cavalry. Valance

1940 г.

Ivan Golikov. Troika

Ivan Golikov.

Troika

1926

Lady and Hussar

Lady and Hussar

19th century

Moss spirits

Moss spirits

Early 20th century

Horse

Horse

19th century

Towel

Towel

19th century

Kvas jug

Kvas jug

Last third of the 18th century

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