Vasily Petrovich Shutov, a furniture maker from Saint Petersburg, designed this Russian-style wooden armchair bearing the inscription “Make haste slowly.” This furniture piece is much different from the exquisite furniture typical of the 19th century. Such products, inspired by peasant life, came into fashion in the Russian Empire when the nationalist and liberal ideas of the Narodniks became popular.
The back of the armchair is shaped like a shaft bow, an element in the horse harness. It features a carved inscription — a Russian saying. Under the bow, there are gloves. On the seat, there are carvings — a large flower in the center of a circle and smaller curls along its edge. The armrests are shaped like axes with curved handles.
Vasily Shutov was born into a wealthy family, but his parents went bankrupt soon after his birth. They sent their son to work as an apprentice in a small carpentry workshop. He quickly showed his artistic talent, studying diligently and improving his skills. At the age of 27, Vasily Shutov became known as the owner of his own carpentry workshop, which took part in the All-Russian Manufactory Exhibition in Saint Petersburg in 1870.
According to the rules of the exhibition, the participants were required to demonstrate high-quality products made exclusively by Russian craftsmen. Vasily Shutov’s workshop presented a variety of items to the public, with the most remarkable among them being an armchair with elements shaped like attributes of peasant life. As a result, the workshop received positive feedback and was awarded a bronze medal.
Soon after the
exhibition, Vasily Shutov received a commission to produce over 50 armchairs of
the unusual design, as well as a patent from the Department of Trade and
Manufacturing for 10 years — during this period, no one else was allowed to
manufacture similar products. At the end of this period, variations of the
armchair designed by other craftsmen were introduced to the market. They
featured new design elements such as bast shoes and balalaikas. In some cases,
the shape of the seat, the pattern, or the text on the bow could vary.
