Bogorodskoye toy
Russian folk-art tradition of carved wooden action toys.
Last updated
The Bogorodskoye toy, also known as Bogorodsk carving, is a Russian folk-art tradition of carved wooden toys and figurines originating in the village of Bogorodskoye in the Moscow region. The craft began in the 17th century in the workshops of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, a monastery about 30 kilometers away, and later developed into an independent cottage industry. It is particularly noted for its unpainted lime-wood figures and mechanical action toys, such as the iconic 'Blacksmiths' depicting a man and a bear hammering an anvil.
Background
The Bogorodskoye toy tradition began in the 17th century when villagers near the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius carved rough parts for the monastery's toy workshops. By the early 19th century, Bogorodskoye carvers handled the entire process themselves.
A local legend traces the craft to Saint Sergius of Radonezh, who is said to have carved small wooden figures for children. The craft became distinct from the painted-figure tradition of Sergiyev Posad by the mid-19th century, with specialists naming the 1840s to 1870s as the high point of the cottage form. Carvers such as A. N. Zinin and P. N. Ustratov shaped the unpainted 'Bogorodsk style,' and each family specialized in a single category of figure, such as birds, bears, or peasants.
Did You Know?
- Bogorodskoye carvings are typically made from lime wood that is air-dried for two to three years before carving.
- The craft's three classical action mechanisms are the slatted base, pegged turntable, and hanging weight.
- By the late 2010s, the workshop employed about 18 carvers, down from over 250 at its mid-Soviet peak.
More in Russian inventions
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Bogorodskoye toy (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced