Description of figurines LFZ (IFZ)

The art of small-scale porcelain sculpture goes back to the distant past. The unique material was invented in China, where the first figurines from it appeared, first of a ritual and then of a secular nature. With the discovery of porcelain in Europe, a path has been passed from imitating Chinese models, using sculptural elements only for decorating dishes to making this craft an independent genre. The heyday of Russian porcelain sculpture began with the products of the Imperial Factory in St. Petersburg (the future LFZ).

The Imperial Porcelain Factory, which grew out of the first Porcelain Manufactory in Russia founded by Elizabeth in 1744, became famous for the release of statuettes and sculptural groups of amazing beauty and skill. It all started with small dolls and chess pieces, for which the Austrian, sculptor and carver Johann Franz Dunker was invited to work on them. The first large-scale work of the Manufactory is the "Own" service for Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. In addition to tableware for 50 persons, the service included graceful putti figurines to decorate the table.

The French sculptor Jean-Dominique Rachette (Yakov Ivanovich Rachette), invited to the plant in 1779, marked the beginning of the era of classicism. The sculptural production department started working at full capacity. The ethnographic series of figures "Peoples of the Russian State" has become a large order. On the basis of illustrations and texts from academic work, ethnic groups living in Russia - their rituals, beliefs, clothes - were created in detail.

The continuation of the "folk theme" by Rachette was the series "Traders and Craftsmen", which became extremely popular and influenced the general development of porcelain sculpture.

Rachette worked a lot with biscuit - unglazed china. The Historical Museum houses his sculptural group "The Fish Seller and the Lady", in the Hermitage - "Zemira's Greyhound" (the favorite dog of Catherine II).

Table figurines and groups (surtout-de-tabl), included in the grandiose Arabesque service (973 items), were made according to Rachette's models. The apotheosis of the table decoration was the figure of Catherine II and 9 allegorical compositions about her virtues ("Generosity", "Justice", etc.) and about the military victories of the empire.

Numerous genre figurines of the late 18th - early 19th centuries. were made according to the models of the sculptor Stepan Pimenov. At this time, the IPE was actively developing national stories. Pimenov set a sentimental direction, close in spirit to the work of the painter A.G. Venetsianov. The famous "Vodonoska" and "Vodonos", "The Girl with a Broken Jug" were repeatedly replicated by the IPE and copied by other manufactures.

When August Spies was appointed Chief Modeler, the focus shifted to following the Saxon model. The plant copied Meissen and Sevres models, produced figurines of putti, bacchantes, graceful ladies and gentlemen, lovely children with baskets of flowers and fruits.

During the reign of Nicholas II, the release of "The Peoples of Russia" was continued: 74 more statuettes appeared. Their author was P.P. Kamensky, who worked in close collaboration with anthropologists and ethnographers. The large figures, about 40 cm in height, had a limited edition, and the smaller ones went on the mass sale.

IPZ also paid attention to the so-called interior sculpture. In 1901-1907. A. Adamson performed works from the biscuit in the romantic-classical style: “Listening to the whisper of the waves”, “The Birth of Venus”, “The Last Breath of the Ship”.

The onset of the 20th century brought the plant cooperation with the artists of the "World of Art" association E. Lancere and S. Chekhonin (they were engaged in painting). A Konstantin Somov became the author of three statuettes in the aesthetics of the "World of Art": "Lady with a Mask", "Lovers", "On the Stone".

Even the famous Valentin Serov paid tribute to the art of porcelain plastics, completing in it a sketch for the future painting "The Rape of Europa".

Since 1914, Vasily Kuznetsov was the head of the sculpture department. His "Little Humpbacked Horse" and "Ivanushka the Fool" were repeatedly replicated. His series "Signs of the Zodiac" and "Months of the Year" are very interesting.

Olga Glebova-Sudeikina, a bright personality of the Silver Age, made models of the statuettes "Psisha" (the name of the heroine of the play, serf actress) and "Columbine" for the State Foundation of the Russian Federation. By the way, in the catalog of the online store of the plant, these works are still there, they are cast on the restored forms. Sudeikina's originals are kept in the Hermitage.

Natalya Yakovlevna Danko was one of the most significant figures in arts and crafts. From 1914 until her death in 1942 (during the evacuation from besieged Leningrad), her life was associated with the LFZ. Many of her works were made in the genre of the so-called propaganda porcelain: numerous sailors, Red Army men, workers and women workers, agitators, collective farmers, scouts, partisans, pioneers and heroes of Papanin were made with amazing reliability and skill.

Her younger sister Elena often worked in tandem with her, painting figurines. They also created the famous statuettes of Anna Akhmatova (1924), the actress Zinaida Reich and Meyerhold. Danko was also happy to embody simple everyday plots: "Washerwoman", "Fortune Teller", "Game of Checkers", "Hooligan and Apple Trader". She made sets of chess pieces, a large series of heroes in Pushkin's works.

Natalia Danko, along with several other Soviet masters, was awarded an individual award. The outstanding sculptor A. T. Matveev was also awarded for a series of statuettes of a nude female nature: "Splinter", "Bather with a Pelvis", "Putting on a Shoe", etc.

The high artistic level of the LFZ murals is known all over the world. They are distinguished by their expressiveness and detailed elaboration. There are three main methods of painting:

• underglaze - the drawing is applied to the surface of porcelain, which is then covered with glaze and sent to a high-temperature oven;
• overglaze - paints are applied to an already fired glazed product, which then undergoes another firing in a muffle furnace at 700-900 ° C;
• "Intraglaze" painting implies that paints are applied after glaze and firing, but then re-use ultra-high temperatures, from which the paint literally fuses into the glaze.

Artists of the IPZ / LFZ applied all methods, depending on the creative task. Underglaze gives soft, muted colors. The overglaze has clear contours and a slightly perceptible relief of the stroke. An additional decorative effect is provided by gilding.

Soviet porcelain was rightfully the pride of the country along with ballet and achievements in space. The Lomonosov plant was the industry leader and became the first in the USSR to launch the production of thin-walled bone china. LFZ products have always been a profitable export item. Today collectors from all over the world are chasing statuettes of the past. Rare figurines, released in small editions, and author's models of artists and sculptors who made the plant's glory are especially appreciated.

• Applied sculptor Sofya Velikhova created such popular works as "Young Pushkin at the Table", "Little Ballerina", "First Waltz", "Mashenka".

• The heroines of Efim Gendelman are lyrical and heartfelt: "The Girl Sits", "Summer Day", "On Sketches".

• Heroes of fairy tales look very advantageous in porcelain, for example, the bright "Ivanushka and the Firebird" by G. Yakimova and E. Lupanova, "Guidon and the Swan Princess", "Alyonushka", "Geese-Swans".

• The topic of sports has always been relevant in the USSR. "Figure Skater" E. Gendelman, "Skier" and "Skier" G. Stolbovoy, porcelain footballers, goalkeepers and swimmers promoted physical education.

• The famous illustrator Aleksey Pakhomov made several figures for the LFZ: "First Grader", "Filippok", "Young Ballerina".

• The children's theme was continued by the large and very beloved by the people series "Happy Childhood" by Galina Stolbova: "Schoolgirl", "Young Dancer", "Girl with a Wreath", "Lullaby" and other figurines.

• Bazhov's tales from the Urals turned out to be a popular theme: "The Mistress of the Copper Mountain" was produced by several porcelain enterprises at once. At the LFZ this figure was performed by V. Shchukina. And the sculptor E. Yanson-Manizer became the author of the portrait figurine of Maya Plisetskaya in this image from the ballet "Stone Flower".

• More than once the pages of classical literature have become an inspiration for porcelain masters. The series of the 1950s "Gogol Characters" by artists B. Vorobyov and I. Riznich, consisting of 9 pieces, has become a very noticeable phenomenon.

• Almost every Soviet interior was decorated with animal figurines: numerous dogs, polar bears, horses, tigers produced by the LFZ were a popular gift, and for many they became a collectible. And today such figures as "Penguin" and "Raccoon" by P. Veselov, "Bulldog" produced since 1949, "Lion", "Elephant" and "Deer" by B. Vorobyov, "Boxer" by V. Drachinskaya are in demand.

Modern small sculptural plastics of the IPE is represented by sections:

• biscuit;
• genre sculpture;
• animalistics;
• sport;
• Soviet period (objects according to the forms and paintings of the outstanding masters of the plant).

The largest part of the catalog includes animal sculpture. The collection is divided into subsections:

• cats;
• dogs;
• the Bears;
• forest dwellers;
• rodents;
• birds;
• Africa;
• amphibians;
• fishes;
• the inhabitants of the farm.

Figures of animals are made in various manners: realistic and detailed, or with a degree of convention, stylized. There are fresh models ("Bull", released for the New Year, 2021, "Dove", "Russian Toy Terrier", "Cat with a Ball", "Koala", a gorgeous "Arabian horse" made of biscuit), but most of them are circulations of popular figurines The authors of which were famous animal sculptors of the past years: P. Veselov, B. Vorobiev, N. Muratov.

The production of genre figurines and groups traditional for the IPZ continues. Petersburg everyday sketches according to the forms and paintings of Elvira Yeropkina ("Meeting", "After Work") are highly artistic products, because the master's works are in museums and private collections.

Collaboration with graphic artist Anatoly Belkin turned out to be very interesting.

The works of the famous Mikhail Shemyakin from the 2006 project "Hoffmaniada" are highlighted in a separate group. The exclusive series consists of a string of characters created by the artist for the Nutcracker ballet at the Mariinsky Theater. These are quite expensive figurines, coveted items for luxurious gifts and collections.