The chair “Bow, Axes, and Mittens” has been part of the collection of the Belgorod State Historical and Local History Museum since April 1962. It was donated to the museum by Boris Efimovich Bondarev, a resident of Belgorod.
Items reflecting peasant themes were widely spread in Russia in the late 19th century. At the All-Russian Industrial and Art Exhibition in St. Petersburg in 1870, the chair “Bow, Axes, and Mittens” was awarded a bronze medal. It was crafted by the carpenter-carver Vasily Petrovich Shutov, who owned his own carpentry workshop.
The chair, which was part of a study room furniture set, does not replicate any model. It consists of carefully carved wooden elements depicting items from peasant daily life: a horse bow forms the back and front legs, a carved board resembling a towel serves as a seat, and a pair of axes are inserted into it as armrests. At the back of the seat are voluminous wooden mittens.
With irony, the craftsman transforms everyday objects into functional furniture details: the bow backrest and ax armrests cleverly support the seated person without causing discomfort. The composition of the object impresses with its references to peasant life and healthy folk humor.
The bow adorned with a carved decorative pattern features a proverb, “The quieter you go, the further you get.” The chair gained a significant success, and the craftsman received orders for up to 50 replicas. Vasily Petrovich obtained a 10-year privilege from the Department of Trade and Manufacture for producing these items.
The success and popularity of this work are also evidenced by the fact that after the expiration of the privilege, copies and variations of the chair made by other carpenters-carvers started to appear. These variants introduced new elements such as horse collar, bridle, whip, bast shoes, and balalaika. The shape of the seat changed, and other proverbs appeared on the bow.
