"Matroyshka" - the word may not be at once recognisable but there can't be many population who aren't aware of Russia's most illustrious and endearing souvenir - best known as the perfect nesting dolls. With a history spanning over a century, the Matroyshka has come to be a sticker of motherhood from the very heart of Russia.
The craftsman who created the very first Matroyshka dolls in the late 1890's was one Vasily Zviozdochkin, at the Children's schooling Workshop in Sergiev Possad near Moscow. This Workshop brought together a handful of expert artists and skilled craftsmen who were devoted to preserving Russian peasant crafts. This doll was made in such an innovative way that it could be taken apart to review smaller dolls underground away inside one other - the smallest frame representing the baby of the family!
Before the Russian Revolution, the name "Matroyshka" was a beloved selection for girls, as it was derived from the Latin root "mater" meaning mother. The name was linked with the image of a salutary mom frame and subsequently the word became a natural selection when it came to naming the nesting dolls.
The first Matroshka doll was painted in watercolours by the artist Sergey Malutin and he painted a peasant family, the largest of which he dressed in colourful scarf, apron and sarafan, the traditional Russian costume of a Russian peasant mother. He also painted this frame cradling a black rooster in her arms. Poultry have always been treated as pets by Russian villagers, so this was a beloved selection by Sergey! The faces painted on these early Matroyshka dolls were oval with quite large heads, manufacture the face dominate the whole body and so the dolls appear quite primitive.
The remaining seven wooden pieces which nestled inside this larger frame represented other siblings, each painted carrying a separate household item, such as a broom, a bowl of porridge, a sickle and a baby brother! This was the smallest piece, which couldn't be taken apart and was painted as a baby wrapped in a quilt to show the warm, nurturing facet of the dolls.
This set was known as the "Rooster Girl" and has been reproduced countless times since its first crafting. You can find the traditional in the Toy Museum at Sergiev Possad.
Besides these traditional designs such as these, the Matroyshka dolls were painted with scenes from Russian fairy tales and legends, Russian architecture, together with religious and historic scenes. Iconography is still beloved with sets depicting Lenin, political figures and even celebrities! Each intricate build is unique in its own private way and is a work of art to be admired and treasured.
So, how exactly are these beautifully crafted dolls made? Well, the basic techniques have remained unchanged over the years, as skilled artisans craft the dolls from aspen, birch or alder. The trees are left to season for two years in the air until they are judged ready for carving on turning lathes. No plans or correct measurements are used, as each doll created is born out of the craftsman's keen eye and skill with his tools.
Many separate styles of Matroyshka are available, each separate from the other. There are those from the region of Semionovo which are illustrious for containing many pieces, the largest to date consisting of seventy two dolls! This piece was made in 1970, stands three feet tall and is dedicated to Lenin's birthday.
Polkhovsky Maidan, which is situated to the south-west of Nizhny Novgorod, is home to other style of Matroyshka. The first doll was made here in the 1930's and today these dolls are still recognisable by their primitive peasant designs in lively greens, yellows, blues and crimsons. The flowering dog-rose was also carefully a main element of the designs, as this flower was carefully a sticker of femininity, love and motherhood.
There are many old sets still in existence in collections today and some of the most unusual depict the "boyars" or old Russian noblemen and these sets can fetch hefty sums of money when sold.
In old Russia, Matroyshkas were passed from one generation to other and today, they still remain an all-embracing sticker of Russian folk art. The dolls are still as beloved today as they have ever been and are bought by tourists all over the world visiting Russia. Two Matroyshka were even created specially and taken into orbit on June 29th 1982 by Russian astronauts!
Today's economic climate has made it harder for Russian craftsmen to buy the raw materials needed to continue creating these dolls, although there are still three main centres of yield in Russia today - Sergiev Possad, Semionovo and Gorodezt. Here, craftsmen and women still furnish the beautiful hand-crafted Matroyshka which no ifs ands or buts are unique works of art, capturing the imagination of all who see them. No trip to Russia seems perfect without bringing home a set of these at once recognisable nesting dolls.
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