The History of the Matryoshka Doll

The Matryoshka, Matroishka, Matreshka, Stacking doll, or Russian nesting doll, as they are know around the world, is one of the most popular and endearing examples of Russian folk art. If you go to Russia nowadays this is the souvenir you will see sold everywhere. They are fashioned entirely of natural products, each doll is hand painted and therefore completely unique. The  attention to detail and creative skill of the Matryoshka artists will amaze you. Dolls can range in size from large, 15" masterpieces, containing 40 or more successively with smaller versions within, to tiny creations that require a magnifying glass to paint them and just to see them. They range in price depending on their size from 3 - 40 pieces in a set and their complexity can take from 5 days to 18 months of work.

Origins of the Matryoshka doll are still unclear today. It is believed that they first appeared some 100 years ago and were modeled after a wooden doll brought to Russia from the island of Honshu in Japan. Interestingly, the Japanese claim their dolls were inspired by the work of a Russian monk. This monk created a wooden figure depicting a good-natured, bald old man thought to represent a Buddhist sage.

The first Russian Nesting Doll was born the 1890's in the Children's Education Workshop in Abramtsevo, near Moscow. Founded by a patron of the arts, the workshop brought together a handful of professional artists and highly skilled craftsmen devoted to the production and preservation of peasant folk toys and dolls dressed in regional costumes. In this atmosphere of creativity, one artist-toy maker team hit upon a novel idea: What better way to represent a peasant family than with a wooden doll that opens up, revealing a series of nested figures inside? The first doll was a girl and they named her Matryoshka. This first prototype still exists and can be seen in the Museum of Toys in Sergiev Posad, Russia.

In Russian, the word Matryoshka is associated with fertility and motherhood. It's not surprising then that many of the first Matryoshka dolls utilized the image of a portly, chubby checked mother on the outside doll with the likenesses of her numerous children painted on the smaller, nested inner dolls. Even today, when artists are painting a variety of subjects, the image of the robust and cheerful mother is still one of the most popular. Depending of the author's imagination the themes can be anything from the wonderful creative Russian fairy tales, Russian churches and architecture of the Russian cities and towns, traditional scenes from Russian life and so on.

In today's world of mass-produced products, it's easy to see why Matryoshka dolls or nesting dolls are so popular. To hold one in your hands, admire its fantastic workmanship and feel the anticipation and excitement of discovering smaller and smaller dolls hidden one inside the other, is like nothing else you've ever experienced. This is why when I open a doll I don't like to know how many there is in it. When you own a Russian Matryoshka, you own not only a piece of Russian history, but a bit of its childlike wonder and magic as well. It can make adults act like children again if for only a moment.

Today, there are many types of Matryoshka produced. In a way, it is unfortunate that, due to its popularity, the Russian Matryoshka has become a victim of its own success and there are many cheap versions of this art now flooding the market. There are also some great artist producing some fabulous art also which could be found in your home on the mantle.  So take your time and come in and enjoy these great pieces of Russian art.