M.N. KOSAREVA
The art of Tula armourers and goldsmiths is widely known in Russia and abroad. In 1712, Peter the Great founded an armoury in Tula on the basis of an already famous metal works. The town subsequently became the major centre of Russian weapon-making industry. Apart from weapons, the Tula masters produced various artistic objects made of steel: caskets, candleholders, vases, mirrors, stamps, tobacco boxes, inkstands etc. The opportunity to produce non-military items was granted as a privilege for non-interrupted supplies of weapons to the government. This privilege contributed to the flourishing of arts and crafts. The armourers had the right to produce various items at home and trade without taxes both in Russia and abroad. The heyday of such crafts was the last quarter of the 18th century. This is when the distinctive Tula style really came into its own. The armourers spent years acquiring original skills and techniques which allowed them to make unusual and ornate steel items.
The Hermitage has an extensive collection of non-military items, the first of which date back to the 1780s, when Catherine the Great acquired a casket and a toilet set on "bird" legs with diamond-like steel decorations. The Tula masters often presented their best works to the Empress; she would also buy them at the annual Sophia fair in Tsarskoe Selo. Among the most interesting exhibits is the handiwork casket bearing the monogram EA, which stands for "Ekaterina Alexeevna", Catherine's Russian name. It is an example of Neoclassical style, decorated with ornate floral garlands indented in multicoloured gold. Another unique casket was intended as a presentation of a reconstruction project of the Tula works. The pictures on the lid and walls show the overall and detailed views of the new factory. The chest used to contain four half-sets of chess pieces which looked like turrets of different types.
Steel furniture was another important product of the Tula works. It was a prominent element of many palace rooms. The earliest items in the collection are an armchair and a table dating back to the reign of Empress Elizabeth. Both of them were made at a private works belonging to a rich Tula armourer Mosolov. Among late 18th-early 19th century furniture are screen tables with a mechanism which made it possible to alter the position of the table top; an armchair, an exquisite toilet table and many footstools.
The Hermitage possesses an extremely important and diverse collection of works by Tula armourers from the 18th and 19th centuries. The collection numbers around 300 exhibits and gives one a good understanding of this original trend in Russian applied art.
