This example shows how visible and invisible layers work.
Hello! My name is Matreshka, and I come from Russia.They say that I was brought to Russia
from Japan at the end of the 19th century by the wife of a Russian patron named Savva I.
Mamontov. On the other hand, according to certain Japanese, it was a Russian monk who
first brought to Japan the idea of making me into an exceptional doll. But whatever the case,
Russian craftsmen liked the idea, and Matreshka was born. A professional artist named
Sergei Malyutin made the first sketches of Matreskha at the beginning of the 1890's.
The work involved in making me requires skill. First, it is important to choose the proper type
of wood. Because of its softness, limewood is generally chosen, less often alder or birch.
After the trees are cut down, usually in early spring, they are stripped of most of their bark,
leaving just enough to prevent the wood from cracking while it dries. The logs are then left
stacked for several years so that they can enjoy proper circulation of air as they dry.
People change as they grow older, and the same can be said of me. The craft of Matreshka-
making gradually spread from Moscow region to other cities and towns, including Semenov.
Polkhovskii Maidan, Vyatka, Tver and Nizhnii Novgorod. Each locality developed its own style
and form of decoration.
My name, Matreshka, has now come to apply to all dolls made to fit one into another.
Different themes are featured: flowers, churches, icons, folktales, family themes, even
political leaders and celebrities. The large variety now available helps keep me quite
reasonable in price. I hope you are enjoying your time here and would like to see all of my
cousins on the other pages.
