Târgul Meşterilor Populari – 25 de ani
The Craftsmen Fair of Moldavia – 25 Years

Summary/Abstract: Any attempt to recover and showcase the artisans and crafts specific to the traditional village is a welcome initiative, even a necessity, given the often irreversible disappearance of these skills. This was the goal of the team of specialists from the Ethnographic Museum of Moldavia in Iaşi when they started the project entitled The Craftsmen’s Fair of Moldavia in October 2000. Among the many craftsmen invited, potters were a must, as their hard and painstaking work has made them, over time, a unique category of artisans, highly valued in the context of the autarkic rural economy. Thus, representative potter families were present in Iaşi, which over time would prove to be lasting landmarks of the event. The portrayal of four families of potters from different regions highlights the diversity, as well as the importance this craft has had in the small peasant industry across the country. We fondly remember the late potter Dumitru Ifrim from Schitu Stavnic – Iaşi, with his carefully crafted “borşare” (ceramic pots for preparing borș, a traditional sour soup) or “chiupuri” (big, rounded ceramic containers used traditionally for storing wine, water, grains, or other goods), whose work was meanwhile taken over by his son, Daniel. We also recall the painted compositions of Ion Bâscu from Horezu – Vâlcea found on the earthenware bowls or the handled soup bowls. Another significant contribution came from the Szekler pottery in Corund – Harghita, created by Dénes, Karolina, and Attila Máthé, an entire family of potters. We also admire the traditional black Bessarabian forms: pitchers, mugs, pots, flutes, subtly ornamented, made by Zaharia Triboi from Iurceni, which throughout the recent years have been complemented by the innovative designs of his son Andrei. Acknowledging their hard work, this article highlights the natural transmission of the craft within the family, encouraged by the belief at the core of mastering a craft: it provides the craftsman with a security in life that no other source of income can offer.

• Details
• Contents