Gleb Pudov: The history of Russian chest craft (19th – early 20th centuries). Collection of scientific articles

It should be noted that the the limitation of the length of the article does not allow considering all the issues and problems associated with this topic. It is truly inexhaustible, so the author only outlines the main points.

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Russian-Scandinavian relations are among the oldest in Europe. Trade and political ties have led to interactions in the spheres of arts and architecture. In Russian-Swedish relations, cooperation in the field of metal processing and sale has acquired particular importance 3 3 Бахрушин С. В. Торги новгородцев Кошкиных// Научные труды/ редкол.: А. А. Зимин и др.; вступ. ст. В.И. Шункова; АН СССР. Ин-т истории. Т. II, М.: изд-во АН СССР, 1954, С. 191; Erixon S. Gammal mässing. – Västerås: ICA förlaget AB, 1964, S. 74; Некрасов Г. А. Тысяча лет русско-шведско-финских культурных связей IX—XVIII вв. – М.: Наука, 1993, С. 41, 199; Шаскольский И. П. Русская морская торговля на Балтике в XVII в. – СПб.: Наука, 1994, С. 56—60. . In the 1680s and 1690s, together with Russian merchants, Russian armourers, coppersmiths, and tinsmiths came to Sweden every year. The Swedes were among the masters of the Armory. They also worked at Russian ironworks production, weapons factories, glass production, and were on scientific expeditions. Diplomatic embassies played a significant role in the appearance of works of swedish applied art in Russia 4 4 Лебедева И. В. Датские и шведские дары русскому государству в XVI—XVII веках // Скандинавский сборник. Вып. III. – Таллин: Ээсти раамат, 1958, С.120; Martin F.R. Schwedische königliche Geschenke an russische Zaren. 1647—1699. Silberschätze in der kaiserlichen Schatzkammer zu Moskaw. – Stockholm, 1900. . In the 18th century, relations between countries were contradictory. On the one hand, cooperation was interrupted by military conflicts, on the other, it developed especially fruitfully during periods of peace. Swedish masters of various art specialties were hired to work in Russia. At the beginning of the 18th century in St. Petersburg, swedish craftsmen ranked second after the Germans in terms of number 5 5 Янгфельд Б. От варягов до Нобеля: шведы на берегах Невы. – М.: Ломоносовъ, 2010. . According to Armin Felkerzam, up to a hundred of them arrived in St. Petersburg only before 1780 6 6 Фелькерзам А. Иностранные мастера золотого и серебряного дела // Старые годы. – 1911. – Июль – сентябрь. – С. 98. . It is known that swedish joiners and carpenters took part in the construction of Peterhof. It should be especially noted that they were also among the artisans who taught Russian craftsmen their skill 7 7 Янгфельдт Б. Шведские пути в Санкт-Петербург. – Стокгольм, Санкт-Петербург: Шведский институт, БЛИЦ, 2003, С.56, 62; Карлбек Х. Шведы и шведское в России // Шведы в Москве. Материалы российско-шведской научной конференции. Москва, 1—2 июня 2000 г. – М.: РГГУ, 2002, С.130. . Scandinavian craftsmen played a very significant role in the history of Russian applied art in the second half of the 18th century. Swedish silversmiths can be regarded as «the guides of Western styles and Western fashions. Through them all the styles of the 18th century gradually penetrated to Russia, although with a delay of ten years» 8 8 Фелькерзам А. Op.cit., С. 98. . Not only silversmiths, but masters of other specialties were represented in the Russian capital in large numbers. There were swedish masters in other cities and villages of Russia. It is no coincidence that Vladimir Suslov in his «Travel Notes» (1888) pointed to the striking similarity between the objects of peasant life in Sweden and the Russian North. Running a little ahead, we point out that the researcher meant not only Sweden, but also Norway, and chests also appeared in his comparisons 9 9 Суслов В. В. Путевые заметки о севере России и Норвегии. – СПб.: тип. А. Ф. Маркса, 1889, С. 8, 9. .

Russia has active cultural and economic ties with Norway and Denmark. From the Icelandic sagas it is known that the Norwegians made trade trips to the Russian lands, mainly to Novgorod already in the X – early XII centuries. The border between states was officially recognized in 1326. Trade relations became permanent in the 16th century, the Norwegians came to Kola, Kegor, the Pechengsky monastery, Kholmogory. In the next century Arkhangelsk became the main trade center. Russian merchants also traveled to Norway, and they were not only Murmansk residents, but also dwellers of Podvinya, Kargopol, and the villages of the White Sea. The active communication led to the existence of parallels in many areas of culture, in particular, in the construction of wooden churches, woodcarving and book illustrations. For a long time, not only cultural and trade, but also political ties have been established between the countries.

Russian-Danish relations were no less ancient. The first information about the Danes is found in the Novgorod First Chronicle of the years 1130 and 1134. Nevertheless, ties between countries originated much earlier than the XII century, as evidenced by the data of numismatics and linguistics 10 10 Свердлов М. Б. Дания и Русь в XI веке // Исторические связи Скандинавии и России (IX—XX вв.). Сб. статей. – Л.: Наука, 1970, С. 82; Макаев Э. А. Руническая надпись из Новгорода // Советская археология. – 1962. – №3. – С. 309—311. . They reached significant development in the 15th century. The first Russian-Danish treaty was signed in 1493, which was of an anti-Swedish character. Danish merchants, in comparison with merchants of other countries, received great privileges: they could trade throughout the territory of Russia, they were given two trading yards. Even the Danish government was directly involved in trade. The economic rapprochement between Russia and Denmark had a specific reason. They wanted to get rid of the mediation of the Hansa 11 11 Казакова Н. А. Русско-датские торговые отношения в конце XV – начале XVI в. // Исторические связи Скандинавии и России (IX—XX вв.). Сб. статей. – Л.: Наука, 1970, С. 89, 93—96. . The role of political partnership increased markedly in the 18th century.

So for centuries there have been strong ties between Russia and Scandinavia, including different areas of culture. The production of chest and caskets, which existed in these states for a long time, was no exception 12 12 Арциховский А. В., Янин В. Л. Новгородские грамоты на бересте (из раскопок 1962 – 1976 гг.). – М., 1978, С. 35—36, 41—42, 135; Arbman H. Birka. B. I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. – Stockholm, 1943, Taf. 259; Schoultz G. von. Kistor. – Stockholm: Nordiska Museet, 1949, S. 4; Arwidsson G., Berg G. The Mästermyr find: A viking age tool chest from Gotland. – Stockholm: Vitterhets-, historie- och antikvitetsakad, 1983. .