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These dolls became popular all over the world during the last 20-30 years, but the history of these dolls starts already around 1892! It is believed that first dolls appeared near Moscow at the artshop Abramtsevo. It is believed that the original idea is coming from Japan, where someboy brought a similar toy from his/her trip.
During its more than 100 years old history the Russian matryoshka doll had not smooth development. Thus in the very beginning the Russian matryoshka attracted much interest of customers in Russia and abroad and attention of artists which created different kinds of Russian dolls. Then in period of Soviet time there were more important economical and cultural tasks so this cute wood toy was slightly forgotten and only in villages like Semionov, Polhovskiy Maidan and Sergievt Posad artisans continued to produce matryoshka dolls in small amounts. Though it is necessary to confess than in 60-s the Soviet government decided to develop traditional art crafts so together with applied art articles like painted metal trays, wooden painted tableware, lacquer miniature boxes and others matryoshka was manufactured in different regions at factories and at small art shops. To say the truth those nesting dolls were not so colorful and interesting in comparison with first matryoshkas or present time dolls. The real renaissance of Russian matryoshka started in the end on 80-s – beginning of 90-s when tourists and businessmen from all the world came to Russia and generated effective demand. The nesting dolls created in that period of time were often real pieces of art – this is because often professional artists designed and painted matryoshkas, often their were made in one copy only. We worked in that time with nesting dolls and we remember many collectors who we supplied with high quality stacking dolls.
And remember – you can win a trip to Russia in our competition this month, check it out here!
Source: https://russian-crafts.com/crafts-history/matryoshka-nesting-doll-babushka.html
