During the 1890's a painter of Russian folk crafts, Sergei Maliutin produced the world's first matryoshka doll. He was inspired to make the dolls as, when visiting the Japanese island of Honsu he came into possession of the Japanese 'fukuruma' doll. These dolls depicted an old Japanese man doll which inside contained nesting dolls which decreased in size. Maliutin decided to draw a Russian version of the doll in his workplace 'The Children's Education Workshop' on the Abramtsevo estate. This workshop was owned by Savva Mamontov.
The name of the dolls comes from the Russian name 'Matryona' which was a popular name for peasant women in old Russia.
After his death, Mamontov's wife exhibited the first matryoshka dolls during the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. The dolls were instantly popular and earned a bronze medal from the exhibition. This ensured the dolls became well known throughout the world and demand for them increased.
After the World Exhibition
The Children's Education Workshop was closed soon after the first matryoshka's were made so production of the dolls moved to the city of Sergiev-Posad. Here the dolls were made in many different styles and the images on them can reflect a time in history. For example, during the Soviet Union era many of the dolls were painted with the images of the Soviet leaders. The size of each doll would often correspond to how long each leader had been in power. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many different images appeared on the dolls including people, animals and nature.
The dolls have become associated with fertility and motherhood. It is not uncommon to see a smiling mother-like figure as the large doll with her children contained inside her.
The dolls which started out in a small workshop in Russia have are now proving popular throughout the world. With their interesting history and varied styles the matryoshka doll has been embraced across different cultures.
Gary, thank you for writing this article. I always marveled how and the story behind the matryoshka dolls. Now, I know. Thanks for sharing this information.
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