The Couple clay figurine was made by a folk craftswoman Olga Volokitina in 2015. She molded a lady in a beautiful dress with silver decorations wearing a stylish hat. The young lady holds hands with a gentleman wearing a cap and a military uniform decorated with a massive shoulder knot.
The Couple embodies a theme that became popular in the 20th century. At that time the regional center of Lipetsk became a prominent resort destination. The nobility from the capital, along with soldiers and officers, came there to spend their vacations. Elegant ladies and well-built young men in uniform often strolled down the streets. This imagery was also reflected in the Romanovo clay toy. Later such toys formed their own special type.
The history of the Romanovo clay toy (also known as the romanushka toy) dates back to ancient times, when a stockaded town Romanov, built in the 17th century, guarded the peace of Russia on the southern borders. The town’s surroundings were rich in clay deposits of four varieties — white, yellow, black, and red. The craftsmen made all kinds of pottery and toys and then sold them in Lipetsk and at various fairs.
The toy was often painted with enamel, a special glaze that becomes shiny like glass when fired. The glaze could be yellow-green, green, or brown. Later it was gradually replaced by various paints, especially red, crimson, green, yellow, and black oil paints. Also, some parts of the Romanovo clay toys are often decorated with noble silver paint.
In the late 19th century, there were about 40 basic romanushka toys: horses, cows, sheep, roosters, deer, soldiers in hats, young ladies in the then fashionable bonnets, whistle birds, larks, the mother, dogs, and others. Many of them were considered talismans. For example, a tom turkey toy was given to infants to be tied to a cradle. A rye goat signified the abundance of bread. A dog was considered a guardian. Later images of a duck, a drake, a bull, and a cow were added to the list. Compositions from the early 20th century — a troika (a traditional Russian harness of three horses abreast usually pulling a sleigh), a deer, a dog with a puppy, an eagle on a wolf, a bear with an accordion and, of course, a couple — are considered the most recent.
The Couple embodies a theme that became popular in the 20th century. At that time the regional center of Lipetsk became a prominent resort destination. The nobility from the capital, along with soldiers and officers, came there to spend their vacations. Elegant ladies and well-built young men in uniform often strolled down the streets. This imagery was also reflected in the Romanovo clay toy. Later such toys formed their own special type.
The history of the Romanovo clay toy (also known as the romanushka toy) dates back to ancient times, when a stockaded town Romanov, built in the 17th century, guarded the peace of Russia on the southern borders. The town’s surroundings were rich in clay deposits of four varieties — white, yellow, black, and red. The craftsmen made all kinds of pottery and toys and then sold them in Lipetsk and at various fairs.
The toy was often painted with enamel, a special glaze that becomes shiny like glass when fired. The glaze could be yellow-green, green, or brown. Later it was gradually replaced by various paints, especially red, crimson, green, yellow, and black oil paints. Also, some parts of the Romanovo clay toys are often decorated with noble silver paint.
In the late 19th century, there were about 40 basic romanushka toys: horses, cows, sheep, roosters, deer, soldiers in hats, young ladies in the then fashionable bonnets, whistle birds, larks, the mother, dogs, and others. Many of them were considered talismans. For example, a tom turkey toy was given to infants to be tied to a cradle. A rye goat signified the abundance of bread. A dog was considered a guardian. Later images of a duck, a drake, a bull, and a cow were added to the list. Compositions from the early 20th century — a troika (a traditional Russian harness of three horses abreast usually pulling a sleigh), a deer, a dog with a puppy, an eagle on a wolf, a bear with an accordion and, of course, a couple — are considered the most recent.
