|
There
is no greater symbol of Russian folk art than the matrioshka, the
beloved wooden doll nesting more dolls inside of her. However, most
people would be surprised to hear that the matrioshka is barely 100
years old. Although the exact origins of the idea for these nesting
dolls is still somewhat a mystery, it is believed that the first prototype
was brought to Russia from Japan. Small-scale production was begun
in the 1890's and worldwide interest in these dolls has made matrioshka
one of Russia's most popular cultural exports ever since. The name
"matrioshka" has its origins in the word "mother",
and not surprisingly, with their feminine features and "children"
nested inside of them, matrioshka has become a symbol of motherhood
and fertility. What
has changed over the years is the degree of intricacy and originality
in their painting. The first Russian matrioshka were primarily meant
to be toys as they are excellent educational items: children can be
taught hand-eye coordination, colours, counting, etc. with these attractive
dolls. But since the age of perestroika and free enterprise ushered
in by Gorbachev at the end of the 1980's, artists have taken to these
dolls to express themselves in very creative ways. You will see by
our wide selection of beautifully painted dolls, that the only limits
to expression are our artists' imaginations. There is truly something
to appeal to every doll or art collector. |
|
|