Yemelyan Danilov
Encyclopedia
Yemelyan Danilov (1627–1654) was a Russian bellmaker.
Yemelyan Danilov was born to a famous family of Muscovite
bellmakers, the progenitor of which was Danila Matveyev
. The latter was an apprentice to Kirill Samoylov, who, in turn, had once been a student of Andrey Chokhov
. Danila Matveyev cast his first bells in 1622 and would receive an honorary title of "tsar's bellmaker" (государев колокольных дел мастер). The information about Danila Matveyev's career is rather scarse. It is known that he and his son Yemelyan Danilov cast a 700-pood
(11,500 kg) bell for the Ipatiev Monastery
in Kostroma
in 1647. In 1651, Danila and Yemelyan began preparations for the recasting of the 800-pood (13,100 kg) Resurrection Bell (Воскресный колокол) for the Assumption belltower of the Moscow Kremlin
. Danila could not finish this assignment due to his death that same year.
After the tsar
had chosen him over a German
bellmaker Hans Falk
, Yemelyan Danilov continued his father's work and finished casting the Resurrection Bell in 1652. The bell weighed 998 poods (16,350 kg) and was used until 1782, when it would be recast by Yakov Zavyalov into a new 1017-pood (16,660 kg) bell. This new bell rang until the early 20th century and then cracked. In the 1930s, it was taken down by the Soviets and melted.
In 1652, tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered Yemelyan Danilov to cast a new 8,000-pood (130 tonne
) bell instead of the broken Big Assumption Bell made by Andrey Chokhov. Danilov cast the bell in 1654, but it would be cracked in less than a year during festivities when it was still being refined. However, Yemelyan Danilov didn't live to see this day. He died during the outbreak of bubonic plague
in Moscow
in the summer of 1654.
Only two bells by Yemelyan Danilov survived to this day. One of them is a beautiful 60-pood (980 kg) bell (now in the Kolomenskoye
museum), cast in 1648. The second 80-pood (1,300 kg) bell called Баран (Ram) (cast in 1654) still hangs on a famous belltower of the Rostov
kremlin
.
Yemelyan Danilov is also known to have been a protege of a young bellmaker Alexander Grigoriev
, who would be accepted to the Cannon Yard on his guarantee.
Yemelyan Danilov was born to a famous family of Muscovite
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
bellmakers, the progenitor of which was Danila Matveyev
Danila Matveyev
Danila Matveyev, also known as Nil Matveyev was a prominent Russian bellmaker of the 17th century.The information about Danila Matveyev's life and career is rather scarce. It is known that he worked at the Moscow Cannon Yard between 1622 and 1651. He was an apprentice to Kirill Samoylov, who, in...
. The latter was an apprentice to Kirill Samoylov, who, in turn, had once been a student of Andrey Chokhov
Andrey Chokhov
Andrey Chokhov, also spelled Chekhov was one of the most prominent Russian casters...
. Danila Matveyev cast his first bells in 1622 and would receive an honorary title of "tsar's bellmaker" (государев колокольных дел мастер). The information about Danila Matveyev's career is rather scarse. It is known that he and his son Yemelyan Danilov cast a 700-pood
Pood
Pood , is a unit of mass equal to 40 funt . It is approximately 16.38 kilograms . It was used in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Pood was first mentioned in a number of documents of the 12th century....
(11,500 kg) bell for the Ipatiev Monastery
Ipatiev Monastery
The Ipatiev Monastery —sometimes translated into English as Hypatian Monastery—is a male monastery, situated on the bank of the Kostroma River just opposite the city of Kostroma...
in Kostroma
Kostroma
Kostroma is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russian towns, it is located at the confluence of the Volga and Kostroma Rivers...
in 1647. In 1651, Danila and Yemelyan began preparations for the recasting of the 800-pood (13,100 kg) Resurrection Bell (Воскресный колокол) for the Assumption belltower of the Moscow Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
. Danila could not finish this assignment due to his death that same year.
After the tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
had chosen him over a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
bellmaker Hans Falk
Hans Falk (bellmaker)
Hans Falk, , also known as Ivan Falk or Johann Falk , was a Dutch and Russian bellmaker of German origin. In The Netherlands he was known as Hans Falck van Neurenberg. In the 1610s he lived and worked in Den Bosch and in 1619 he became a citizen of Leeuwarden, where he started a foundry...
, Yemelyan Danilov continued his father's work and finished casting the Resurrection Bell in 1652. The bell weighed 998 poods (16,350 kg) and was used until 1782, when it would be recast by Yakov Zavyalov into a new 1017-pood (16,660 kg) bell. This new bell rang until the early 20th century and then cracked. In the 1930s, it was taken down by the Soviets and melted.
In 1652, tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered Yemelyan Danilov to cast a new 8,000-pood (130 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
) bell instead of the broken Big Assumption Bell made by Andrey Chokhov. Danilov cast the bell in 1654, but it would be cracked in less than a year during festivities when it was still being refined. However, Yemelyan Danilov didn't live to see this day. He died during the outbreak of bubonic plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in the summer of 1654.
Only two bells by Yemelyan Danilov survived to this day. One of them is a beautiful 60-pood (980 kg) bell (now in the Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye
Kolomenskoye is a former royal estate situated several kilometers to the south-east of the city-centre of Moscow, Russia, on the ancient road leading to the town of Kolomna...
museum), cast in 1648. The second 80-pood (1,300 kg) bell called Баран (Ram) (cast in 1654) still hangs on a famous belltower of the Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
.
Yemelyan Danilov is also known to have been a protege of a young bellmaker Alexander Grigoriev
Alexander Grigoriev
Alexander Grigoriev, son of Lykov was a Russian cannon and bellfounder.In 1651, Alexander Grigoriev was accepted to the Moscow Cannon Yard as a "bell person" at the recommendation of a bellmaker Yemelyan Danilov and a number of Muscovite cannonmakers...
, who would be accepted to the Cannon Yard on his guarantee.