| | The Origin
The nesting doll is automatically associated with a Russian wooden doll, hand-painted with rosy cheeks and smiling face - the 'Babooshka' or 'Matryoshka'. However, few realise that this traditional doll
originated from Japan as recently as the end of 19th century.
According to the Toy Institute of Scientific Research in Russia the history of this wooden doll goes back to 1890 when the owner of the Abramov mansion - Mrs Mamontova who at the time was a devoted patroness of artists, poets, writers and actors - brought back a wooden toy from her visit to Honsu Island in Japan.
The toy itself looked nothing like the Matryoshka we know today. The Japanese toy, Fukurumu, was a kind-faced, brave old man who hid his whole family inside his own wooden shell. The toy symbolised wisdom acquired with age.
The first Russian nesting doll was made at the Mamontov's family workshop where the local craftsmen specialised in making and creating innovative toys. The wooden shell of the doll was turned by a carpenter named Vasily Petrovich Zvezdochkin and painted by S.V Maliutin, a professional illustrator of children's books. To give the toy a Russian style, S.V.Maliutin chose to paint a young girl from the province holding a rooster and wearing a traditional cotton top, sarafan and an apron. Her name - Matryoshka - was created from Matryona, a name which was in common use in pre-revolutionary Russia. Unlike the Japanese toy, the Matryoshka symbolised fertility and unity of a family. It proved to be a very popular toy and, as the demand for it grew, so did the expertise in carving and painting it. The details of the Matryoshka's face and costume became more detailed and intricate, expressing the depth of Russian tradition.
Making Matryoshka
This toy is made using just a few types of wood such as linden, birch, alder and aspen. The logs are stripped of bark but otherwise untreated and are kept outside for up to two years to mature so that when the wood is turned it does not crack and spoil the finished item. Usually the turner starts by making the smallest of the Matryoshkas. He then makes the bottom and top shells of a larger doll - removing the wood from inside the doll to form the hollow interior. Another larger top and bottom shell is made until the desired number of dolls required for the set is reached. The most popular Matryoshka is a set of 3, 5, 7 or 10 in one doll.
Matryoshka Today
The popularity of nesting dolls achieved world-wide popularity when examples of Russian Matryoshka were taken to the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900. Subsequently, a number of workshops around Moscow took on the task of producing and developing the Matryoshka style. The part of Russia in which Matryoshka is painted determines her traditional costume and adds sophistication to her colourful wardrobe! A few examples are: In Sergiev Posad, Matryoshka style is similar to the painting of religious icons predominantly shades of natural beige, brown and terracotta; In Semyenov, the painting techniques use only a few traditional patterns and colours such as flowers in red and yellow but the Matryoshka are quite distinct from all others; and, of course, Matryoshka from Vyatka is known for her rounded features and for the use of a straw inlay.
The art of making Matryoshka has evolved considerably in the course of more than a century. Starting with the face of a peasant girl, it has made famous the faces of many, from Russian political leaders to pop groups like the 'Beatles' and literary characters such as those in 'Harry Potter'. She is the symbol of unity and undoubtedly has succeeded in uniting many nations with her uncanny, yet simple charm.
MATRYOSHKA PAINTING COURSE
If you are interested in learning to paint your own Matryoshka, please write to enquire on our class time table: info@russianfairytale.com | | |
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