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Each of us at least once saw the performances of Nadezhda Kadysheva and the Golden Ring ensemble, and today there is a dance group with the patriotic name Beryozka in the House of Culture of any city. But in fact, dashing dances, bright sundresses and kokoshniks embroidered with beads are far from the real folk style. And although talking about Russia as a country where bears walk along the street can hardly cause anything but laughter, by our folklore we mistakenly mean something completely different from what it really was.
We at Milayaya.ru believe that studying your roots is not only useful, but also interesting. Today we propose to figure out what the real primordially Russian traditions were.
We are accustomed to perceive Gzhel and other folk crafts as our own, native. But it's not like that at all
In fact, this is a "rehash" of the iconic English style of the 2nd half of the 18th century. Also, very similar white chinaware with blue patterns can be found among Dutch artisans.
And who among us did not participate in the wide Shrovetide festivities and did not dance with the mummers?
Meanwhile, all these funny bright characters originally appeared in the Italian “comedy of masks”, and the prototype of our Russian Petrushka is the braggart Scaramouche.
And, it would seem, what could be more Russian than a tall elegant kokoshnik
However, in fact, this headdress appeared in the 14th century in France and was called the arselet, or French hood. It could be seen on the head of Catherine de Medici and Queen Margot.
The “ancestor” of our Russian matryoshka is a figurine of Saint Daruma, who founded the Shaolin Monastery
Matryoshka appeared in Russia not so long ago - only in the 19th century. The first bright wooden doll was created in the "Children's Education" workshop of the merchant Ivan Fedorovich Mamontov. And the Japanese toy, which was its predecessor, was something like a tumbler and did not unfold.
“I play the balalaika, this is the most Russian instrument” - the girls from the “Combination” group were wrong
The prototype of the balalaika can be found on Egyptian frescoes. Also, the medieval lute is very similar to it - the constant companion of the French and English minstrels.
In the XVIII century, Catherine II came up with a new "folk" dress, based on the trends of Paris and London.
With the light hand of the Empress, the Russian costume began to be understood as brocade dresses with wide sleeves, decorated with pearls.
Western painters of the 18th century also contributed to the emerging a la russe style.
For example, the girls in the paintings of Alexei Venetsianov looked sleek and aristocratic in the western style, not at all like real villagers.
The artist Philip Malyavin in his painting "Whirlwind" captured a not quite Russian spirit
Such bright colors and sweeping strokes are characteristic of French Impressionism. It is not surprising that the painter's work was a huge success in Paris.
At the beginning of the last century, the Art Nouveau style artificially created by Russian artists appeared.
He absorbed all the ideas about our folk costume, and he was quickly picked up by foreigners. The artists of the creative association "World of Art" did not seek to capture historical reality in their works, they broadcast a purely European aesthetics, and this was a kind of revolution in painting.
As a result, bright outfits on catwalks and concert venues are nothing more than an exaggerated adaptation of our traditions for the masses and foreigners.
Of course, in Rus' they wore red embroidered sarafans, but their color was not so bright, and the embroidery elements had not a decorative, but a spiritual (“protective”) meaning.
What is Russian style really?
Archaeological finds confirm that until the 18th century, our national style of dress practically did not change. Moreover, ordinary peasants and wealthy boyars dressed almost the same, except that the latter could afford things from more expensive fabrics.
General features of the costume: loose fit, belt, embroidery, soft colors (for example, gray). Embroidery had a special meaning: it was possible to "read" the social status and tribal affiliation, and its elements often represented Slavic spiritual symbols. For example, the cross of Svarog in the form of an eight-pointed star symbolized the movement of the Universe, agni , better known as Kolovrat, could mean both a sacrificial fire and a hearth, and the tree of life , similar to the Pacific, reminded of the beginning of a new life path.
Long canvas shirts were in use, on which a poneva (woolen skirt) was put on top - now this would be characterized by the term “layering”. a kiku with horns or a rounded on their heads , and forehead bands were also common. Decorated things and bright hats were worn only on holidays. The most elegant met in Ryazan, and in Voronezh dark colors were in use.
Do you know of any things and phenomena that are mistakenly considered to be native Russian?