The story of the Matryoshka dolls, one of the symbols of Russia

A good part of the country's population is watching Russia these days because of the World Cup. The number of followers would have been much higher if our team had been there, but that's it - csf, ncsf! I thought we shouldn't let the event go by without somehow tying it to wood. And I found the best way - Matryoshka dolls. I don't think there's anyone who hasn't heard or seen those wooden dolls sticking out of each other, getting smaller and smaller. But how many know their story!

And yet, the beginning was elsewhere

Matryoshka dolls, or Babushkas as they are also known, are no longer just a children's toy. They have become a symbol of their country, Russia, just as wooden clogs have become not just footwear for village people but a symbol of the Netherlands. They are bought as souvenirs, used to make jokes about political figures, and old ones are sought after and bought by collectors.

But the idea of dolls popping out of each other is not a Russian one. In fact, neither is the idea of objects of the same kind placed inside each other. The first such objects were made in China more than 1000 years ago. They were smaller and smaller boxes that were stored inside each other. The first puppets based on the idea of boxes that pop out of each other were also made in China around 1200.

From China, the idea soon made its way to Japan and became the basis for the Shichi-Fukujin dolls - the 7 Gods of Fortune. The largest doll was Fukurojuro - the god of happiness and longevity. From it, 6 smaller and smaller figurines came out, one after the other, representing other gods of good luck.

The "birth" of Matryoshka in Russia

Russians have a legend that the first dolls were made by a Russian monk. He is said to have been inspired by the story of a golden statue of the god Jumala that was worshipped by people living in the foothills of the Ural Mountains. At some point this statue opened and other smaller gods emerged.

But the truth is different. It all started when a Shichi-Fukujin doll caught the eye of the wife of Savva Mamontov, a wealthy Russian art lover from Moscow. Mamontov surrounded himself with artists whose creations were based on Russian folk art. Wanting to preserve national identity and traditional culture, Mamontov set up the Children's Education Workshop where artists were encouraged to make puppets for children using Russian folk themes.

Artist Sergei Maliutin was also taking part in the workshop. One day Maliutin overheard Mamontov's wife talking about the Japanese Shichi-Fukujin dolls. That's how he came up with the idea of dolls depicting Russian folk costumes. The idea of object within an object was not new in Russia, Faberge who in 1885 created an egg that had a yolk with a hatch inside.

Maliutin took the idea of the dolls inside each other and turned it into a symbol. The first doll was carved in lime wood by V. Zveidochin and painted by Maliutin himself. There were 8 pieces, the large one with 7 smaller and smaller ones inside. They depicted 6 girls and a boy painted with symbols of village people: scythe, cloche, bowls. The smallest doll was a baby in diapers. This set of dolls still exists today and is in the Museum of Toys in Zagorsk.

The name chosen was Matryoshka, a diminutive of the name Matriona, very popular in the villages at that time. But it was not chosen for its popularity alone. It has its roots in the word 'mater', Latin for mother, and is very appropriate to illustrate a mother figure with a brocade and apron from which other smaller figures emerge, just as the mother gives birth to children.

Craftsmen still make dolls the way they did more than 100 years ago

From the very beginning, the question was raised as to the most suitable wood for such a toy. It had to have fine grain, retain its shape over time and adapt well to any climate. Matryoshkas could end up in different parts of Russia with very different temperatures and humidity. It had to be a durable wood, but at the same time easy to work and shape without cracking during and after work. The best choice turned out to be lime wood, which is still used today. Other woods are rarely used.

It can take up to 3 years from the time the tree is cut down until the doll is ready. After pruning, the trunk is stripped of its branches, stripped of bark and prepared for drying for 1-3 years. Preparation helps the water to drain out slowly and the wood doesn't crack or change color.

When reached equilibrium pieces of different sizes are cut according to the size of the dolls. A set containing 5 dolls requires 9 pieces of wood, 8 halves and one whole. The wood is machined on a lathe and brought to the desired shape and size.

What's interesting is that even today folk craftsmen still work the dolls without measuring them to make sure they fit together. They measure them "by eye" as they say. They start from the size of one of the dolls as a reference and approximate the sizes of the others. The amazing thing is that they match every time. A craftsman like this can work 50 pieces a day, or around 50 Matryoshka sets a week.

Decorating the dolls

The classic dolls are still painted using popular motifs: beads, aprons, tools, flowers, birds. Although the idea was born in Moscow, the place where they were produced from the very beginning was Serghiev Posad, a town 80 km northeast of Moscow. It was also from here that the first Matryoshka wooden dolls were made, and presented to the world at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900.

Semionov is another famous place for Matryoshka dolls. Situated 500 km northeast of Moscow, in a forested area, the dolls in Semionov are different from the others, being painted in a style specific to the area. The symbols used are bushes, berries and forest birds. Everything is colorful, with women painted wearing red or yellow basmals. The most common motif on the aprons is the red rose. It is said that the painter has total freedom in decorating the dolls so that no two sets are painted the same. The wood used to make Semyonov Matryoshka dolls is mesteacan.

Symbol of Russia, often used to mark an important anniversary or even to make light-hearted jokes

Matryoshkas now represent not only village life, the country grandmother with her daughter and granddaughter. The symbol is often used to mark events. For example, on the 100th anniversary of the victory over France, a doll was made in Serghiev Posad to represent Marshal Mikhail Kutusov. The puppet was unfolded to reveal other military leaders who took part in the famous battle.

Matryoshka has long gone beyond the village to represent cartoon characters, modern heroes, actors and even political leaders. The latter are even used as the subject of more or less acid jokes. However, the symbol remains the Matryoshka with a brocade and an apron, more or less adorned with roses, birds, tools or berries.