Description

Dymkovo toys, also known as the Vyatka toys or Kirov toys are moulded painted clay figures of people and animals. It is one of the old Russian folk art handicrafts, which still exists in the village of Dymkovo near Kirov (former Vyatka). Traditionally, the Dymkovo toys are made by women. The toys-making trade primarily promoted the needs of the local festival known as the “whistling celebration". There was a great demand during the festival for various whistles manufactured by the local craftsmen and shaped as figurines of birds, horses, and lambs. The festival is rooted in the pagan worship of Yarilo, the Slavic solar deity. Dymkovo toys are shaped of local red clay mixed with fine river sand to prevent cracking during ring firing. First the massive base of a toy is shaped and then smaller fragments are attached to it (chest, arms, head, dress fringes, hair plaits, or head dresses). The finished toys are dried for several days, fired for three to four hours, primed with chalk dissolved in buttermilk, and painted with tempera paints over the white background.