Recently we did a review of souvenirs that tourists can get from different places in Russia. Among these items there are quite traditional, and there are also new ones, that quickly became popular. Alexander BOGDANOV, a researcher at the Museum-Estate of P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, a member of the Council of the Lipetsk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society, talks about one of these souvenirs. Below we publish his story.
There is such a traditional Russian folk craft of making clay toys in the Lipetsk Region called the Romanovo toy. It appeared at the beginning of the 19th century in the village of Romanovo near Lipetsk. The designs of clay whistles of that time were uncomplicated. Mostly they were horses, cows, sheep, roosters, deer, sometimes soldiers wearing papakhas, and ladies in bonnets. Most often, toys were covered with a simple glaze of green or brown, less often painted with paint.
Everything changed dramatically with the appearance of the mineral waters resort in Lipetsk, that became a vacation spot for the capital's beau monde. Such beauties as Natalia Goncharova and Anna Kern were noticed among the visitors of the Lipetsk resort... It was no accident that the famous playwright of that time, Prince Alexander Shakhovskoy, wrote an instructive play about the demeanors of vacationers, which was called "A Lesson to Coquettes, or Lipetsk Waters".
As always, new acquaintances were made at the Lipetsk resort, passionate romances began… And the sharp-witted Romanovo masters quickly realized the market situation. On the shelves of the Lipetsk bazaar, which was located next to the resort park, bright figurines of officers in full-dress uniforms, elegant ladies, walking couples appeared. There were even whole arrangements like rich horse-drawn carriages. Now there was something to take as a souvenir reminding one of the vacation, so that on winter Moscow evenings, looking at a bright figurine of a brave hussar one could remember the hot summer nights …
vsadniki-goncy.jpg
True, in the 20th century, the Romanovo craft could have disappeared, as the brave hussars and languid young ladies disappeared from the pages of history, if not for Viktor Vasilyevich Markin, who in the 1980s undertook to return it from oblivion. Enthusiastic and talented students appeared, the craft came to life! And now the Romanovo toy in the Lipetsk Region is probably the most recognizable souvenir that the guests of the region are happy to take home.
There is one small episode in this clay story, which is already turning into a whole plot with a sequel. A hundred and twenty kilometers north of Lipetsk there is a small village of Ryazanka, which stands on the very border with the Ryazan Region. Back in 1827, a boy was born there, in the estate of the Semenov nobles, who was named Pyotr. It was much later that he became the world-famous scientist and traveler Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky. And even later, a museum was opened in his ancestral estate, which preserves the memory of him. It is worth saying that the famous scientist lived in the city of St. Petersburg, on 8th Line of Vasilievsky Island, where his direct descendants still live, bearing this "geographical" surname.
The museum workers and descendants of the scientist are friends with each other. For example, the elder of the family Alexander Vladimirovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky (by the way, a member of the Russian Geographical Society) often visits the museum-estate. The museum workers often pay a return visit to the Northern Capital, and they are always hospitably welcomed at the Semenov-Tyan-Shansky house.
In the summer of 2020, an anniversary was approaching: A.V. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky was 75 years old. Lipetsk citizens could not do nothing. What could one give to the hero of the day, so that it was a vivid reminder of both the Lipetsk land and Pyotr Petrovich himself?
The museum in Ryazanka had long been friends with the masters of the Romanovo toys Olga Volokitina and Anastasia Korolenko, who would often come with their bright creations to the museum festivals and holidays. And what if they asked the craftswomen to sculpt a figurine of Pyotr Petrovich in the style of a Romanovo toy?
img_0987_1.jpg
Olga and Anastasia liked the idea of the museum workers, and after receiving several drawings and photographs of P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky from the museum, they immediately got to work. The result delighted not only the employees at the museum-estate, but also all the Semenov-Tyan-Shanskys in St. Petersburg, not excluding the hero of the day. "Romanovo" Pyotr Petrovich, in an official uniform, with a ribbon over his shoulder and numerous awards on his chest, looked both a strict dignitary and a simple sincere person. Which was the required result. That's what ancient craft means in the hands of modern talented craftswomen!
But our story does not end here. Returning from St. Petersburg, where the Lipetsk museum workers had heard enough praises to the clay masterpiece and the requests of "I want one!", they decided not to leave the masters of the Romanovo toy alone and offered to turn this figurine into a souvenir that could be successfully sold at the Museum-estate of P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky and elsewhere. The idea was gladly supported and soon came to life. At the traditional annual festival "Secrets of the Estate", the figurine of P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky became one of the most popular acquisitions.
Now the Romanovo toy under the placeholder name "P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, Senator" has also become museum’s traditional gift for guests and has already spread not only throughout Russia, but also far beyond its borders. For example, one of them now lives in Paris, with Kirill Petrovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky.
p.p._semyonov-tyan-shanskiy-senator._avtor_volokitina_o.l_.jpg
It is difficult to say who first had the idea not to stop there, but we can say for sure that the fellowship of the masters of the Romanovo toy and the museum-estate continued in the future. An anniversary helped again. The Lipetsk Museum of Folk and Decorative Arts prepared an exhibition of Romanovo toys by the People's Master of Russia Elena Smoleevskaya for the 350th anniversary of Emperor Peter the Great, where the first Russian emperor was presented in various ways.
And 2022 was also the 195th anniversary of the birth of P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky. The staff at the museum-estate decided that the interesting idea of the colleagues was worth developing. Our old friends Olga Volokitina and Anastasia Korolenko did not have to be persuaded. It turns out that they themselves have long harbored the idea of continuing the clay life story of P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky. At the creative council on old photographs and drawings, about two dozen scenes were jointly selected, which were recreated in clay in a short time by the skilled hands of the craftswomen. This is how "Semenov on the Tian Shan", "Semenov the Official", "Semenov the Geographer", "Semenov at Work" appeared.
Without departing from the traditions of the Romanovo masters of the old time, Olga and Anastasia also created multi-figurine compositions. Next to Pyotr Petrovich, appeared his beloved wife Elizaveta Andreevna. Then it was her again, but with her little daughter Olga in her arms. Moreover, there is even a scene "Pyotr Petrovich and His Granddaughter Vera Catching Insects with a Net".
p.p._semyonov-tyan-shanskiy_i_suprugoy._avtor_korolenko_a.s_.jpg
All these scenes from the life of the Semenov-Tyan-Shanskys were intended for display at the museum-estate. In the end, the idea arose to unite the two anniversaries. This is how the concept of the exhibition called "Two Pyotrs" appeared, in which the great reformer and the great traveler were next to each other. And this is not accidental. Their lives were closely connected geographically: St. Petersburg, Lipetsk, Ranenburg… And the scenes repeated this story exactly.
The exhibition in Ryazanka aroused great interest. Later it moved to Lipetsk, then went to museums in neighboring regions. And what is remarkable is that wherever the exhibition turns out to be, visitors always linger on one scene, which is called "Pyotr Petrovich Stops the Train by Raising His Hand." Of course, multiple figurines and scale are the main thing here, but after hearing the story, people look at the scene even more closely and, most importantly, with a smile.
p.p._semyonov-tyan-shanskiy_i_poezd._avtor_volokitina_o.l_.jpg
This story was overheard on the train going from Urusovo station (near the museum-estate) to Ranenburg (the current city of Chaplygin). An elderly woman, a native of these places, told her guest: "We have visited the Semyonov Museum, but do you know that he built this railway? He was already getting on in years, it was hard for him to get home from St. Petersburg on horses. It took forever and the road was bumpy! So he collected all his savings and said to his family: ‘Let's build a railway to the estate from Moscow so that it would be good for us and for people too!’ And he was a big man in the capital then, so everything was quickly decided. However, he spent a lot of money. He even got into debt, but still built the railway. That is the kind of person he, Pyotr Petrovich, was: he would always back his words with actions! And he and his family had to travel home in a sitting carriage. The king found out about it and thought: ‘It's not right for such a respected person to travel in such a cramped space!’ And he issued a decree according to which he gave Pyotr Petrovich the personal right to stop any train at Urusovo station by simply raising his hand, so that he had the best carriages both to Moscow and to St. Petersburg. That's how much everyone respected our Pyotr Petrovich!"
ri7a1157_2.jpg
You can't argue with one thing in this story – Pyotr Petrovich Semenov-Tyan-Shansky was respected during his lifetime, and he is remembered now. He has long been cast in bronze, monuments to the great son of the Fatherland stand in different parts of our wonderful country. But still, go to his homeland, to the Ryazanka Estate in the Lipetsk Region, and a wonderful clay figurine – which, please, do not forget to take with you on the way back – of the famous traveler will be a reminder of him and these wonderful places for you. And on cold winter evenings, looking at it, you will have something to remember…