Craft is ... Kinds of crafts. Folk crafts

The appearance of the craft is at the beginning of the productive occupations of man. Since ancient times, the rudiments of handicraft activities are known.

Concept of crafts

Craft - is a production activity based on the production of industrial items with the help of small manual labor, prevailing before the development of machine production and preserved with it.

A person who deals with the professional manufacture of objects is called an artisan.

What is a folk craft?

People craft is called things that are made with the help of ordinary materials and simple structures. Folk crafts are diverse in their creative activity, products are made by themselves and most often from natural materials or close to them (wood, fabric, metal, etc.). This type of activity was formed from domestic craft, when necessary household things were manufactured. Like art, folk crafts developed depending on culture, religion and sometimes - political views.

Craft history

The craft has a long history of origin. Primitive communities often engaged in domestic crafts, making objects from stone, bone, clay, wood, etc. Home craft is the production of products necessary for farming. In some places and nowadays this occupation is of great importance.

Later, people began to lead a sedentary life, craftsmen appeared. Many artisans worked on the economic lands of kings, temples, monasteries and slave owners (Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece and Mesopotamia). Initially, the artisan worked alone, but as this gave a small income, the masters began to form groups. These groups were called artels and accepted orders from the population. Some of the masters walked through towns and villages, while others lived and worked in one place. Crafts and crafts on the order gave rise to the emergence and development of cities as centers of handicraft work and trade. Until now, in many localities, the names of streets that indicate the place of work of one or another master have been preserved. For example, Goncharnaya - it was organized production of clay products, Leather - leather processing, production of leather products, shoe repair , Brick - the production of bricks.

In the Middle Ages, a form of professional craft appeared. In cities a new social layer has appeared - these are urban artisans. The main branches of the city's craft were: the manufacture of metal objects, clothwork, the production of glassware, etc. City masters had such privileges as city law, handicraft shops, their own freedom.

With the arrival of the industrial revolution, many types of crafts lost their primacy in production, factories and factories began to use machines. Today artisans have survived in industries that serve the personal needs of customers, and in the manufacture of expensive art products (shoemakers, tailors, jewelers, artists, etc.).

History of crafts development in Russia

The population of Russian cities mainly consisted of artisans. Most of them were engaged in forging. Later, from the blacksmith's business, a metalworker was formed. Its products were in great demand in Europe. The production of weapons has allocated masters for making bows, guns, quivers, etc. The armor of Russian artisans was considered much higher than the Turkish, Syrian and Italian armies.

According to the chronicles, in 1382 there were already guns in Russia. In the 14th century, foundry business (casting of bells) was formed. With the invasion of the Mongols, production declined.

Jewelry skill served the needs of the aristocracy. The preserved products (icons, golden belts, dishes, book bindings) attest to the high professionalism of jewelry masters in the field of engraving, artistic casting, forging, milling and embossing. In the 14th century coinage began in several Russian principalities, which formed a monetary handicraft. On the market and a wide range of customers was calculated tanning, shoemaking and pottery crafts. From the clay made a variety of dishes, toys and building materials. In addition, in Moscow and other cities, stone churches (mostly of white stone) were built and a clock tower was installed with a battle.

The works of the masters made a great contribution to the restoration of the devastation after the Tatar-Mongol conquests. Russian crafts influenced the preparation of economic prerequisites in the creation of a Russian centralized state.

Since 1917, the number of artisans in Russia has fallen sharply, they have merged into the fishing cooperative. However, even now Russian crafts include several world-famous folk art fairs.

Different types and types of crafts

Kinds of crafts are formed from the material of which the object is made. For a long time people have known such crafts as:

• Blacksmithing.
• Carpentry.
• Weaving.
• Pottery.
• Carpentry.
• Spinning.
• Jewelry.
• Bakery.
• Tannery.

blacksmith craft

The blacksmith's craft is one of the first occupations that appeared in Russia. People have always wondered at the work of the blacksmith. They could not understand how the master made such amazing objects from gray metal. For many peoples blacksmiths were considered almost wizards.

Previously, blacksmith's craft required special knowledge and a specially equipped workshop with a variety of tools. The metal was smelted from the bog ores that were mined in spring and autumn. Old Russian blacksmiths made sickles, openers, and braids for farmers, and for warriors - spears, swords, axes, arrows. In addition, the farm always needed knives, fishing hooks, keys and locks, needles, etc.

Nowadays technical progress has somewhat changed and improved the blacksmith's craft, but it is still in demand. Artistic forging is decorated with offices, apartments, country houses, parks, squares, especially it is in demand in landscape design.

Jewelery Crafts

Jewelcrafting is one of the oldest in the history of mankind. Products from gold, silver and precious stones have long been considered a sign of power and wealth of the aristocratic class. In the 10th - 11th centuries, jewelry masters were renowned for their talent throughout Europe. People from ancient times were passionate admirers of ornaments. Beads were made of precious metals or colored glass, pendants with various patterns (usually beasts), silver temple rings that were hung from the headdress or woven into the hair, rings, colts, etc.

In the 18th century there was a flourishing of jewelry in Russia. Just at this time, the profession of "gold and silver affairs master" was called "jeweler." In the 19th century Russian craftsmen had their own style, thanks to which now Russian jewelry remains unique. The famous firms of the brothers Grachevs, Ovchinnikov and Faberge began their work.

Today, the population in connection with the growth of wealth increasingly needs high-quality jewelry.

Pottery

It is known that from the 10th century, pottery was produced in Russia. This was done manually, and in most of the women's hands. To increase the strength and durability of the product to the clay mixed small shells, sand, quartz, granite, and sometimes plants and fragments of ceramics.

A little later there were pottery circles, which facilitated the work of potters. The circle was set in motion by the hand, and then by the feet. At the same time, the pottery business began to deal with men.

Industrial scale pottery reached in the 18th century. In St. Petersburg, and a little later in Moscow, there were ceramic factories.

Items made by modern potters are still fascinating. Today pottery is a popular occupation in many regions of Russia, and the demand for handmade ceramic products is constantly increasing.