What is a matreshka

    We think that everybody knows Matreshka as the most popular Russian national souvenir. When you look at Matreshka, your imagination takes you away to the ancient time. Indeed this wooden doll is about one hundred years old. It appeared in Russia at the end of 1890's in a Moscow craft workshop named Children's Education. Russian masters borrowed the concept of a nesting doll from Japan. First Matreshkas costume was in tender pastel colors and reflected the major style of that period. The variety of nesting dolls was achieved by the number of pieces mainly ranging from 3 to 12. But also exist "supermatreshkas" having 48-60 pieces, but these are unique.

    The painting of Matreshkas awakes the creative potential of various artists. Nowadays authors of Matreshka use the themes of Russian and European paintings, landscape painting and still life. Some of them have ornaments based on the plots of popular European fairy tales. In spite of this fact Matreshka stays Russian national souvenir with Russian history and traditions. This wooden doll decorates any place it appears and keeps the warmth of the hands of the craftsman.

    18 October 2001 in Moscow The Museum Of Russian Matreshka was inaugurated. It is the first official collection of Matreshka dolls in Russia, in spite of this art exists in Russia more than 100 years and appears as the most popular Russian craft. The Matreshka Museum accommodates in the building of Russian Folk Arts Fund, in the same house where the first Russian Matreshka doll was created in the end of the XIX century.