The Matrjoschka doll became a symbol of Russian culture and is a staple in each and every souvenir shop in Russia. A typical Russian household without at least one of these wooden dolls? Unimaginable. As the name kind of suggests, the Matrjoschka portrays a mother figure. To be precise, the term Matrjoschka stems from the name “Matronja” which can translate to “Mother”, very fitting for this female doll that looks wonderfully comforting with its colorful painting. The doll is dressed in rural, rustic clothing and is smiling at the observer. In addition, you can dismember the doll and inside, another smaller Matrjoschka is waiting for you that again can be disassembled to reveal a third and even tinier doll and so on. Most of you have already seen and played with a Matrjoschka.
However, where do these dolls that are usually made from birch wood come from? In the 1980ies, the doll saw the light of day for the first time when the artists Wassili Petrowitsch Swjosdotschkin and Sergei Wassiljewitsch Maljutin designed and carved the first wooden Matrjoschka, inspired by mere fashion trends like Japanese design.
During the revolution, a male Matrjoschka was created that symbolized the heart of a soldier and was supposed to be a symbol of the revolutionary movement. At that time, people started to call the female doll Matrjoschka because they saw the mother of the revolution in her lovely smile.
By now, the doll is considered a piece of culture that many Russian families, cosmopolitan people and globetrotters like to put on their shelf.
