A masterpiece for centuries: unique carpets from the Tyumen region in the Department Store of the RUSSIA EXPO

The Siberian Carpet Factory is the only enterprise in the country that possesses the secrets of manual carpet weaving in the authentic Russian style. Their products can be recognized by bright floral patterns and traditional Tyumen ornaments. Each carpet is created by the craftsmen for several months, and it can last for a hundred or two hundred years.

In 2001, the Kondratyev family undertook to revive hand carpet weaving in Russia and opened LLC "Siberian Carpet Factory". Since then, local craftswomen have been weaving traditional carpets by hand, using weaving technologies known since the XVIII century. All carpets are made only of natural materials: the pile is one hundred percent wool and the backing is made of cotton thread.

The new production was opened on the premises of the Ishim Carpet Factory, once famous throughout the country, which since 1975 has been specializing in the production of folk-art crafts goods. And in 1985-1990 its craftsmen worked on an important order - a carpet for the interiors of the Moscow Kremlin. In 1999 the factory was closed, but thanks to the Kondratyevs, hand carpet weaving in Russia, and such a phenomenon as the Tyumen carpet have survived and are thriving.

A characteristic feature of Siberian carpets is a combination of black background and bright colors, symbolizing the fertility of the land. One can see such a carpet not only in various interiors, but even on the painting of the famous artist Vasily Surikov. The Tyumen carpet is one of the "protagonists" of the canvas called "Taking a Snow Town", which is kept in the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

The secret of the Tyumen carpet's appearance in Surikov's painting is simple. In the 1880s-1890s the artist often visited the first Russian city of Siberia. Here, during brief stops while waiting for the nearest steamship to Tomsk, he visited local markets and large fairs, which always sold bright and fluffy carpets woven from sheep's wool. In a letter dated September 23, 1887, addressed to relatives, V. I. Surikov hastens to inform: "On the road I painted something. In Tyumen I bought three carpets for 15 rubles. In Moscow such carpets are much more expensive".

After many years, the artists of the Siberian carpet factory managed to recreate a sketch of that very carpet. "This favorite Surikov's carpet is a true masterpiece of folk carpet weaving" noted the researcher of the great painter's work V.S. Kemenov.

Today Siberian Carpet Factory is a multiple winner of the competition "100 Best Goods of Russia" and "Best Goods and Services of the Tyumen Region", is included in the federal list of enterprises of folk-art crafts of the Russian Federation. Also, the legendary Tyumen carpets have repeatedly received top awards at international expositions all over the world. And recently they became participants of the International RUSSIA EXPO: they took part in the All-Russian Wedding Festival. For this event the carpet with the image of horses facing each other was prepared. This theme is closely connected with wedding rituals of Siberia. The artists of the factory specially restored the ancient sketch.

"For us Siberian, carpets mean, first of all, the preservation of traditions. We are proud of our rich history and heritage and strive to pass it on to the next generations. Unique carpets are pleasing to the eye, carrying our thought into a whimsical world of fantasy.  Every flower on the carpet is a sounding word, every stem is a pause between words. And the whole carpet is someone's light story about the beauty and joy of life," said Elizaveta Kondratyeva.

You can buy traditional Tyumen carpets in the Department Store of the RUSSIA EXPO.