We present to you an interview with our friend Hunter, who moved from the USA to Russia!

Interview #1 ⤵️

Ceramic craft in the village of Filimonovo in the Tula region has been practiced since the 16th century. The land in these areas was poor, and the harvests were scarce, so producing clay pots and bowls became the villagers’ only source of income. To avoid wasting leftover clay after work, they would sculpt small whistles from it, which eventually led to the creation of the famous Filimonovo toys.

According to legend, the village was named after a potter named Filimon, who was the first to discover deposits of soft clay in these lands, suitable for making various utensils. The pottery craft thrived in Filimonovo for several centuries: men created clay dishes, bricks, and stove pipes. The whistles were made from leftover materials that were unsuitable for larger items. Initially, these figurines were made for children, but later they started to be sold at fairs. The dolls were traditionally crafted only by women, who learned the craft from their grandmothers starting at the age of seven, passing down secrets of firing and painting. All proceeds from selling the whistles were saved for the young artisans’ dowry.

By the mid-19th century, Filimonovo toys became popular not only within the Tula province but also in other regions. However, after the revolution, the craft began to decline: only a few women continued practicing it. In the 1960s, these artisans introduced their craft to several art experts and collectors. Later, young artists learned the traditional techniques, and by the 1980s, the art of Filimonovo toys was fully revived.

All Filimonovo toys are whistles. Most often, masters depicted people and animals, sometimes creating compositions from multiple figures, such as the famous "Lyubota" figurine, representing a loving couple. The shapes of the toys were simple, without intricate details. Female figures were called "barynya" (a lady), and male figures were called "a gentleman" or "a soldier," depending on their clothing. Both types had narrow, short torsos with a thin waist, transitioning into voluminous trousers or a puffy bell-shaped skirt. The heads — nearly the same width as the neck — were topped with headgear: scarves or hats for women, and a peaked cap or top hat for men. In their hands, the women often held a baby or a whistle-shaped bird, while the men held a rooster or a goose.

Animals most often depicted by artisans included bears, horses, cows, and deer. They were characterized by distinctive horns or ears, with other proportions being quite similar: a thin, elongated body with smooth curves, slender legs, a long neck, and a small head.

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