Matryoshka

Introduction We decided to know which Russian symbol is the main. It can be everything, because Russia is large versatile country. It has many national traditions. We decided to tell you about matryoshka or Russian stacking dolls. We think that it is the most popular Russian national souvenir. Every tourist buys this souvenir. It is a good memory. In our work we will tell you something about matryoshka’s history and about it intact.

Contents The Sergiev Posad style of Russian stacking dolls The very Beginning of the Russian Matryoshka   The Semionovo matryoshka Why it is called “Matryoshka” Why give a Matryoshka as a gift?

Russian stacking dolls A Russian stacking doll, or matryoshka, as it is called in Russian, is probably the most popular Russian national souvenir. At all large exhibitions, fairs, and festivals held in different countries of the world, the amusing and cheerful stacking dolls were the most fascinating exhibits. Also, it seems that the matryoshka has come to us from ancient times, from the world of legends and fairy tales; actually, this wooden doll is about 100 years old. Initially, the matryoshka types were rather different: they portrayed both male and female characters. There are some ethnographic matryoshkas: Gypsy Woman, American Man, Turk, Chinese, Lithuanians, Tartar Family and so on. Gradually, the female character became the main type of matryoshka.  

The very Beginning of the Russian Matryoshka The first Russian matryoshka was made in 1980 in the Children’s Education workshop, situated inside the Abramtsevo estate. The owner of Abramtsevo was Sava Mamontov, industrialists and a patron of the arts. The end of the 19th century in Russia was a time of great economic and cultural development. Mamontov was one of the first patrons of the arts to be possessed by the idea of creating a new Russian style. Many famous Russian artists worked along with folk craftsmen in Mamontov’s workshops. Once, at a traditional Saturday meeting, somebody brought a funny Japanese figurine of a good-natured bald-headed old man called Fukuruma. The doll consisted of several figurines nestled within one another. It had 7 figurines. There is a legend that the first doll of this type on the Island of Honshu (where Fukuruma was brought from) was made by unknown Russian monk. Actually, this type of nesting toy was well known before – Russian craftsmen carved wooden Easter eggs and apples.

Why it is called “Matryoshka” Russian wooden dolls with smaller dolls inside are called matryoshkas. In old Russia, the name Matryona or Matriosha was a very popular female name among peasants. Scholars says this name has a Latin root “mater” and means “Mother”. This name is associated with the image of a mother of a big peasant family who was very healthy and had a portly figure. Subsequently, it became a symbolic name for the brightly painted wooden figurines, made in such a way that they could taken apart to reveal smaller dolls fitting inside one another. A few types of matryoshka were developed for factory production: the Sergiev Posad type, and another.

The Sergiev Posad style of Russian stacking dolls Sergiev Posad is the place where the first stacking doll was made by the artist Sergei Maliutin and carver Vassiliy Zviozdochkin. This old Russian town is located 73 km from Moscow. It has grown up around famous Trinity St. Sergius Monastery. In 1340, the monk Sergius founded a small temple lot amid the wild, thick forests. Over time, it became the biggest Monastery in Russia. Arts and crafts flourished in the towns and villages surrounding the monastery. Wooden toys, known as “Trinity” toys, became particularly popular. According to the legend, the first “Trinity” toy was made by the Abbot of the Monastery, Sergius Radonezhsky. Sergiev Posad was a colorful, truly Russian town. The Monastery lent a unique feature to it. The huge marketplace in front of the Monastery was almost always full of different people: merchants, monks, pilgrims and craftsmen were milling around.

A professional artist made the first painted Sergiev Posad matryoshka just for fun. That is why these dolls are so expressive and have won the admiration of adults and children. In the initial period of matryoshka development, particular attention was paid to the faces of the matryoshka – clothes were not painted in detail. Such dolls depicted different characters and classes: peasants, merchants, and noblemen. They are disproportional, but at the same time, they are very expressive. Sometimes, matryoshkas portrayed whole families with numerous children and other members of the household.

The Semionovo matryoshka Semionovo is a large, old center of wooden handicrafts. Huge, thick forests and poor farming soil gave rise to the development of local folk crafts. Of course, many changes occurred during the long history of crafts in Semionovo, but even now, about 200 items are produced privately and factories in this region, while 33 countries import goods from this town. There is a legend that Semionovo was founded by the merchant Semion and a runaway monk from the Solovsky monastery. In 1779, during Reign of Catherine the Second, 3000 inhabitants lived and worked in this place. As the town was surrounded by forests, people used to make wooden goods for themselves and to sell.

An apron is considered to be the main feature of the Semionovo painting. A bright bouquet of flowers is painted on it. It is possible to recognize the of old Russian masters. The early Semionovo matryoshka were more in the spirit of old Russian painting traditions – the lines were more graphic and lighter. It is easy to recognize the typical Semionovo shape in the wooden form of the matryoshka: it is slender and has a relatively thin top, then widens sharply into a thick bottom. In the 80s, the Chief Artists Sorokin created a stacking doll couple, “Russian Lad” and “Russian Beauty”. This couple was taken into space on June 29th, 1982, by Russian astronauts and was presented to the international crew.

Why give a Matryoshka as a gift? As mentioned earlier, a matryoshka has heritage value as a classical gift. Moreover, it is the handmade value that makes these Russian stacking dolls a priceless gift. Russian craftsmen are a genius lot who, with their artistry skills, can create exact smaller replicas of the original in a way that these figures fit into one another. Russian stacking dolls epitomize the spirit of time, be it the present or the past. They have a story to tell and a message to communicate, which makes them such a wonderful gift option. To the same time, they hold a legendary value because they are pieces of folk art made with excellent precision and beauty. They are sculptures of Russian legacies and paintings that, with the color of their emotions, represent the soul and image of Russia.

Conclusion In the end of our work we knew why it is called “Matryoshka”, why a Matryoshka give as a gift. Also we met with its history. Anyway, we think that Russian stacking dolls are the most popular Russian national souvenir. Matryoshkas remind us about national traditions. It changes with time. Russian stacking dolls tell history of its time. We advise you to buy this splendid souvenir even if you live in Russia.

THE END Thank you for your attention!!