We have had many people ask us about a little history behind the nesting doll.  Recently we received a letter from a gentleman in South Africa that is helping his daughter with a school project on the Matryoshka.  Mike, we hope this will help :) 

For more detailed information, visit our "books" page.  We have a wonderful book with the history and many photos of early Matryoshka.

Thank you so much for visiting our site!
Marina & Chuck

    The matryoshka is the most famous Russian souvenir which is popular with everyone.  It is considered to be a phenomenon in the world culture. This idea is recognized not only by connoisseurs of the language, history and culture of this country but also by those who just began their acquaintance with Russia.
    Matryoshka has become sort of a formula of a cultural phenomenon which is unique and has a meaning of its own.  It is hard to imagine now that only about one hundred years ago matryoshka has not existed at all. The first Russian matryoshka appeared only at the end of the 19th century. It was greatly acclaimed as  one of the all-embracing image of Russia, symbol of Russian folk art. 
   The end of the 19th century in Russia was a period of great economic and cultural development, a period of rising national identity. It was the time of great interest in Russian culture generally and particularly in Russian art. A new artistic trend known as 'Russian style' appeared.  Such artists as V. M. Vasnetsov, K. A. Sornov, M. A. Vrubel, N. K. Renh, V. A. Serov, F. A. Maliavin, K. A. Korovin, S. V. Maliutin were possessed by the idea of creation of a new style where Russian national traditions would revive. They understood that it was necessary to find unity and harmony of the past and present in art and life. Due to their efforts at the end of the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century artistic creative units started to spring up. They can be called spiritual and cultural centres of Russia.
    Abramtsevo artistic unit of S. 1. Mamontov was part of this cultural trend of the development and revival of Russian traditional national art.  S. 1. Mamontov (1841-1918) belonged to the famous merchant family, he was an industrialist and a patron of the arts. Mamontov was one of the first men who patronised artists who were possessed by the idea of the creation of a new Russian style. Art studios were established in his Abramtsevo estate near Moscow.
    Professional artists worked along with folk craftsmen who preserved aesthetic and age-long skills of folk art. The Mamontovs dealt with enlightenment and art collecting. Peasant toys were in their collection of folk art. Special attention was paid to the revival and development of folk peasant toys.
    That was a great merit of the family of Anatoly lvanovich Mamontov (1839-1905), the brother of S. 1. Mamontov. This family owned workshop 'Children's Education' where various toys for children were made and sold. So-called ethnographic dolls dressed in folk festive costumes of inhabitants of various Russian regions (gubemias and uezds) were especially distinguished. A. 1. Mamontov, a publisher, translator and owner of a printing-house, collector of Russian paintings as well as his brother S. 1. Mamontov, was a remarkable and active person, who was always surrounded by professional artists, artisans and folk craftsmen.  A. 1. Mamontov offered jobs in his studio to highly qualified creative toy makers who had initiative and fantasy. There were various samples of toys from different countries in the workshop to broaden toy makers outlook and to develop their creative fantasy. Oriental art and Japanese fine and applied art in particular was very fashionable at that time. 
   Thus, a famous predecessor and prototype of Russian matryoshka was brought to Russia from the Island of Honshu. It was a figurine of a good-natured bold headed old man, Buddhist sage by the name of Fukuruma. The doll contained some other figurines nestled inside one another. There was a stamp on the figurine's butt-end: made in Japan. By the way the Japanese claimed that the first doll of such a type on the Island of Honshu was made by unknown Russian monk. Now the Fukuruma figurine is kept in the Artistic Pedagogical Museum of Toys (APMT) in Sergiev Posad.

Today most of the dolls you will find are from the village of Sergiev Posad which is just outside Moscow.  All of our dolls are hand made and painted as they have been for over one hundred years.  
Thank you so much for visiting our site!