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This exhibition acquaints the public with the museum's rich collection of distaffs from various regions of Russia. The collection was created by several generations of keepers at the Russian Museum.
Distaffs are sticks traditionally used to hold the fibres for spinning. The display includes works from north-west Russia (St Petersburg, Novgorod and Olonets Provinces), north Russia (Archangel Province, Onega Peninsula and the River Mezen) and the vast hinterland of Vologda Province along the River Sukhona, Northern Dvina and their tributaries. Another major region of distaff manufacture is the Volga region - Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod Provinces - where traditional distaffs were made as works of art.
The manufacture of distaffs was largely confined to local districts. Master carpenters and joiners made distaffs for their wives and daughters. Young girls received their first distaffs from their fathers. Fathers presented future brides with specially decorated works, lovingly made with their own hands or commissioned from a local master. The distaff was also a popular present from a husband to his wife, expressing his love and gratitude.
Old distaffs were treasured as mementoes of late mothers and fathers. Surviving works are now monuments of folk culture and art, chronicling the former way of life of the Russian countryside. Incorporating the rich traditions of rural workmanship and ornamentation, distaffs are often supplemented by images of festive and genre scenes. Each work is unique; similar distaffs are not even encountered within the bounds of a single type.
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