Russian matryoshka. Origin story

From the very first attempts, it turned out to be impossible to find clear answers - the information about the nesting doll turned out to be quite confusing. For example, there are “Matryoshka Museums”; you can read many interviews and articles on this topic in the media and on the Internet. But museums or exhibitions at museums, as well as numerous publications, as it turned out, are devoted mainly to various artistic samples of matryoshka dolls made in different regions Russia and in different times. But little has been said about true origin nesting dolls.

To begin with, let me remind you of the main versions of myths, regularly copied as carbon copies and wandering through the pages of various publications.

Frequently repeated common knowledge: The matryoshka appeared in Russia at the end of the 19th century, it was invented by the artist Malyutin, and turned by the turner Zvezdochkin in the workshop “ Child education" Mamontov, and served as the prototype of the Russian nesting doll. He's the same Fukurokuju, aka Fukurokuju(different sources indicate different transcriptions of the name).

Another version the appearance of the future nesting doll in Russia - allegedly the first to carve such a toy was a certain Russian Orthodox missionary monk who visited Japan and copied a composite toy from a Japanese one. Let’s make a reservation right away: there is no exact information about where the legend about the mythical monk came from, and there is no specific information in any source. Moreover, some strange monk turns out from the point of view of elementary logic: would a Christian copy an essentially pagan deity? For what? Did you like the toy? Doubtful, although from the point of view of borrowing and the desire to remake it in your own way, it is possible.

Japanese Fukuruma doll:

Russian matryoshka:

Version three – the Japanese figurine was allegedly brought from the island in 1890 estate near Moscow Mamontovs in Abramtsevo.

« Japanese toy had a secret: his whole family was hiding in the old man Fukurumu. One Wednesday, when the artistic elite came to the estate, the hostess showed everyone a funny figurine. The detachable toy interested the artist Sergei Malyutin, and he decided to do something similar. Japanese deity He, of course, did not repeat it, but made a sketch of a round-faced peasant young lady in a colorful headscarf. And to make her look more businesslike, he drew a black rooster in her hand. The next young lady had a sickle in her hand. Another one with a loaf of bread. What about the sisters without their brother - and he appeared in a painted shirt. A whole family, friendly and hardworking.
He ordered the best turner of the Sergiev Posad educational and demonstration workshops, V. Zvezdochkin, to make his incredible work. The first nesting doll is now kept in the Toy Museum in Sergiev Posad. Painted with gouache, it doesn’t look very festive.
But, firstly, the turner Zvezdochkin did not work in the Sergiev Posad workshops until 1905! This will be discussed below. Secondly, other sources say that “she (matryoshka - approx.) was born right here, in Leontievsky Lane (in Moscow - approx.), in house No. 7, where the workshop-shop “Children's Education” used to be located, belonged to Anatoly Ivanovich Mamontov, brother of the famous Savva. Anatoly Ivanovich, like his brother, was fond of national art. In his workshop-shop, artists were constantly working on creating new toys for children. And one of the samples was made in the form of a wooden doll, which was carved into lathe and depicted a peasant girl in a headscarf and apron. This doll opened, and there was another peasant girl, and there was another one in it...”

Now confusion has already arisen, according to the principle of “who, where and when was or was not.” Perhaps the most painstaking, thorough and balanced research was carried out by Irina Sotnikova - the article “Who Invented the Matryoshka Doll.” The arguments given by the author of the study most objectively reflect real facts the appearance of such an unusual toy as the matryoshka doll in Russia.

ABOUT exact date appearance of the nesting doll I. Sotnikova writes the following: “...sometimes the appearance of the nesting doll is dated back to 1893-1896, because These dates were established from the reports and reports of the Moscow provincial zemstvo government. In one of these reports for 1911, N.D. Bartram 1 writes that the nesting doll was born about 15 years ago, and in 1913, in the Bureau’s report to the handicraft council, he reports that the first nesting doll was created 20 years ago. That is, relying on such approximate reports is quite problematic, therefore, in order to avoid mistakes, the end of the 19th century is usually mentioned, although there is also a mention of 1900, when the nesting doll won recognition at the World Exhibition in Paris, and orders for its production appeared abroad.”

What follows is a very interesting remark about the artist Malyutin, about whether he was actually the author of the matryoshka sketch: “All researchers, without saying a word, call him the author of the matryoshka sketch. But the sketch itself is not in the artist’s heritage. There is no evidence that the artist ever made this sketch. Moreover, the turner Zvezdochkin attributes the honor of inventing the nesting doll to himself, without mentioning Malyutin at all.”

As for the origin of our Russian nesting doll from the Japanese Fukuruma, Zvezdochkin does not mention anything here either. Now we should pay attention to an important detail, which for some reason eludes other researchers, although it is clear, as they say, naked eye– we are talking about a certain ethical moment. If we take as a basis the version of “the origin of the nesting doll from the sage Fukuruma”, a rather strange feeling arises - SHE and HE, i.e. The Russian nesting doll, they say, came from him, from the Japanese sage. A symbolic analogy with the Old Testament tale, where Eve was created from Adam’s rib (that is, she came from him, and not vice versa, as happens naturally in nature), suggests itself in a suspicious way.

Let’s return to Sotnikova’s research: “Here is how the turner Zvezdochkin describes the emergence of the nesting doll: “...In 1900 (!) I invent a three- and six-seater (!) nesting doll and send it to an exhibition in Paris. I worked for Mamontov for 7 years. In 1905 V.I. Borutsky sends me to Sergiev Posad to the workshop of the Moscow provincial zemstvo as a master.” From the materials of the autobiography of V.P. Zvezdochkin, written in 1949, it is known that Zvezdochkin entered the “Children’s Education” workshop in 1898 (he was originally from the village of Shubino, Podolsk region). This means that the nesting doll could not have been born before 1898. Since the master’s memoirs were written almost 50 years later, it is still difficult to vouch for their accuracy, so the appearance of the nesting doll can be dated approximately 1898-1900. As you know, the World Exhibition in Paris opened in April 1900, which means this toy was created a little earlier, perhaps in 1899. By the way, at the Paris exhibition the Mamontovs received a bronze medal for toys.”

Russian matryoshka:

But what about the shape of the toy and did Zvezdochkin borrow the idea of ​​the future nesting doll or not? Or was it the artist Malyutin who created the original sketch of the figurine?

“E.N. managed to collect interesting facts. Shulgina, who in 1947 became interested in the history of the creation of the nesting doll. From conversations with Zvezdochkin, she learned that he once saw a “suitable block of wood” in a magazine and, based on its model, carved a figurine that had a “ridiculous appearance, seemed to resemble a nun” and was “deaf” (did not open). On the advice of masters Belov and Konovalov, he carved it differently, then they showed the toy to Mamontov, who approved the product and gave it to a group of artists working somewhere on the Arbat to paint. This toy was selected for an exhibition in Paris. Mamontov received an order for it, and then Borutsky bought samples and distributed them to the artisans.
We will probably never be able to find out for sure about S.V.’s participation. Malyutin in the creation of matryoshka dolls. According to the memoirs of V.P. Zvezdochkin, it turns out that he came up with the shape of the nesting doll himself, but the master could have forgotten about painting the toy; many years passed, the events were not recorded: after all, then no one could have imagined that the matryoshka would become so famous. S.V. Malyutin at that time collaborated with the publishing house A.I. Mamontov, illustrated books, so he could easily paint the first matryoshka doll, and then other masters painted the toy based on his model.”

:
Now about the prototype of the nesting doll. Was there? Some doubt it, but why did this legend appear then, and is it even a legend? It seems that the wooden god is still kept in the Toy Museum in Sergiev Posad. Perhaps this is also one of the legends. By the way, N.D. himself Bartram, director of the Toy Museum, doubted that the nesting doll “we borrowed from the Japanese. The Japanese are great masters in the field of turning toys. But their well-known “kokeshi”, in principle, are not similar to a matryoshka doll.”

Who is our mysterious Fukuruma, good-natured bald sage, where did he come from? ...According to tradition, they visit temples dedicated to the deities of luck and buy their small figurines there. May be, legendary Fukuruma contained within itself the six other deities of fortune? This is just our assumption (quite controversial).

V.P. Zvezdochkin does not mention Fukuruma at all - a figurine of a saint that would split into two parts, then another old man would appear, and so on. Note that in Russian folk crafts, detachable wooden products were also very popular, for example, the well-known easter eggs. So there was Fukuruma, he wasn’t there, it’s difficult to find out, but it’s not that important. Who remembers him now? But the whole world knows and loves our nesting doll!”

Russian matryoshka:

Why was the original wooden doll-toy called “matryoshka”? Almost unanimously, all researchers refer to the fact that this name comes from the female name Matryona, common in Russia: “The name Matryona comes from the Latin Matrona, which means “noble woman”, in the church it was written Matrona, among the diminutive names: Motya, Motrya, Matryosha, Matyusha, Tyusha, Matusya, Tusya, Musya. That is, theoretically, a matryoshka could also be called motka (or muska). It sounds strange, of course, but what’s worse, for example, “marfushka”? Also a good and common name is Martha. Or Agafya, by the way, popular painting on porcelain is called “agashka”. Although we agree that the name “matryoshka” is a very apt one, the doll has truly become “noble”.

The name Matrona itself actually means “noble woman” translated from Latin, and is included in the Orthodox church calendar. But, regarding the statement of many researchers that Matryona is female name, very beloved and widespread among the peasantry in Russia, there are interesting facts here too. Some researchers simply forget that Russia is big. This means that the same name or the same image can contain both positive and negative, allegorical meaning.

So, for example, in “Tales and Legends Northern Territory", collected by I.V. Karnaukhova, there is a fairy tale “Matryona”. Which tells the story of how a woman named Matryona almost tortured the devil. In the published text, a passerby potter rids the devil of a lazy and harmful woman and, accordingly, subsequently scares the devil with her.
In this context, Matryona is a kind of prototype of an evil wife, whom the devil himself is afraid of. Similar descriptions are found in Afanasyev. The plot of an evil wife, popular in the Russian North, was repeatedly recorded by GIIS expeditions in “classical” versions, in particular, from A.S. Krashaninnikova, 79 years old, from the village of Meshkarevo, Povenets district.

Russian matryoshka:

At one of the forums on the topic of culture, in particular, deployed on the Internet, the following was literally said: “The prototype of the Russian nesting doll (also has Indian roots) - japanese wooden doll. For a sample. According to its origins, it is an image of the ancient Indian sage Daruma (Skt. Bodhidharma) moved to China in the 5th century. His teachings spread widely in Japan in the Middle Ages. called for the comprehension of truth through silent contemplation, and in one of the legends he is a cave recluse, plump from immobility. According to another legend, his legs were paralyzed from immobility (hence legless sculptural images Darumas):

Nevertheless, the nesting doll immediately gained unprecedented recognition as a symbol of Russian folk art.
There is a belief that if you put a note with a wish inside a nesting doll, it will certainly come true, and the more work put into the matryoshka, i.e. the more places it has and the better the quality of the matryoshka’s painting, the faster desire will come true. Matryoshka is warmth and comfort in the home"


It’s hard to disagree with the latter - the more places there are in a matryoshka, i.e. The more internal figures there are, one smaller than the other, the more notes with wishes you can put there and wait for them to come true. This is a kind of game, and the nesting doll here acts as a very charming, sweet, homely symbol, a real work of art.

As for the eastern sage Daruma (this is another name of the “predecessor” of the nesting doll!) - frankly speaking, plump from immobility, and even with weak legs, the “sage” is extremely poorly associated with the Russian toy, in which every person sees a positive, elegant symbolic image. And thanks to this beautiful image Our nesting doll is extremely famous and popular almost all over the world. We are not talking about “matryoshka dolls” in the form of politicians of the male (!) gender, with the caricatured faces of which enterprising artisans in the nineties flooded the entire Old Arbat in Moscow. We are talking, first of all, about the continuation of the old traditions of different schools in the painting of Russian nesting dolls, about the creation of nesting dolls of different numbers (the so-called “terrain”).

In the process of working on this material, it became necessary to use related sources, not only those devoted to the topic of Russian folk toys. We should not forget that in ancient times, and not only in Rus', various jewelry (women's and men's), household items, as well as toys carved from wood or made from clay, played the role of not just objects that brightened up everyday life - but were also carriers of certain symbolism, had some meaning. And the very concept of symbolism was closely intertwined with mythology.

So, amazingly there was a coincidence in the name Matrona, who migrated (according to generally accepted version) from Latin to Russian, with ancient Indian images:
MOTHER (Old Indian “mother”), the emphasis is on the first syllable - in Hindu mythology, divine mothers, personifying the creative and destructive forces of nature. The idea of ​​active feminine received wide acceptance in Hinduism in connection with the spread of the cult of Shakti. Matri were considered as female personifications of the creative energy of the great gods: Brahma, Shiva, Skanda, Vishnu, Indra, etc. The number of Matri ranged from seven to sixteen; some texts referred to them as "a great multitude."

Does this remind you of anything? Matryoshka is aka “mother”, which symbolizes, in fact, a FAMILY, and even consisting of different quantities figurines that symbolize children of different ages. This is no longer just a coincidence, but proof of common, Indo-European roots, which is directly related to the Slavs.

From here we can draw the following conclusion: figuratively speaking, if the symbolic “journey” of an unusual wooden figurine begins in India, then continues in China, from there the figurine ends up in Japan, and only then “unexpectedly” finds its place in Russia - a statement that that ours is untenable. If only because the figurine of a certain oriental sage itself is not originally Japanese. Probably, the hypothesis about the extensive settlement of the Slavs and the spread of their culture, which subsequently had an influence on the cultures of other peoples, including manifesting itself both in the language and in the divine pantheon, has a common basis for Indo-European civilization basis.

A wooden painted doll of an “egg-shaped” shape, painted to resemble a Russian girl – the “white-faced chubby girl” from our fairy tales and songs – inside of which similar smaller dolls are placed... this is traditional image Russian nesting doll. And although now nesting dolls are painted with the most in different ways- under the heroes of fairy tales, films (I even saw matryoshka dolls in the image of the heroes of the American series “The X-Files”), and even political figures of all times and peoples - after all, in the beginning there was just such a “Matryona”.

Today, the nesting doll seems to us to be such an integral part of Russian culture that it has even received a mention in poetry: in E. Yevtushenko’s poem “The Tale of the Russian Toy,” Vanka Sidorov, a “toy maker,” demonstrates the nesting dolls to Batu Khan. “In the buffoon men, rustic in appearance, like a nesting doll in a matryoshka, there is a secret hidden within a secret!” - the formidable khan thinks...

The poet here greatly sins against the truth: the Russian nesting doll did not appear in the pre-Mongol period, but quite recently by historical standards - in the 90s of the 19th century. This time in our country was marked by two trends. On the one hand, there was a rise in interest in national culture, which gave rise to the movement known as “Russian style”. In line with the Russian style, the “Children's Education” workshop arose in Moscow, where dolls were created in clothes that accurately reproduced Russian folk costume different provinces.

Another trend at the end of the 19th century. – this is the fashion for Asian exotic figurines, Japanese prints etc. Quite in line with this general hobby was the Japanese “curiosity” brought in 1890. in Abramtsevo - the estate of the famous Russian philanthropist S. Mamantov - a detachable wooden one in the shape of an old man with an unusual elongated head. “Elder Fukuruma” was the name of this toy.

Who is Fukuruma, what did this toy mean to the Japanese?

Most likely, we are talking about Fukurokuju - Japanese god, who was precisely depicted as an old man with a long head. Fukurokuju was one of the Shichifukujin, the “seven gods of happiness,” who had different “responsibilities”: one patronized trade, the other peasant labor, the third bestowed wealth and prosperity... As for Fukurokuju, he was the god of longevity and wisdom - as befits an old man.

By the way, Shichifukujin themselves are a real “international brigade”: not all of these gods are originally Japanese, Shinto, some are borrowed from India and China. So, it was Fukurokuju who was originally “Chinese”; in this country he was revered as the deity of the North Star.

But let’s return to the figurine brought to Abramtsevo. It represented not only “elder Fukuruma”, but also all the “seven gods of happiness” - the elder’s figurine was detachable, and all the other “gods” were “hiding” inside one another. The principle itself was not something completely unusual for Russia: things have been done in our country for a long time Easter souvenirs in the form of detachable painted eggs... so why not combine one with the other? And if we add the principles of the “Russian style”...

This is how the Russian artist S.V. Malyutin came up with the idea of ​​a wooden doll, similar to a Japanese one, but reproducing Russian folk costume. The idea was realized based on his sketch in the already mentioned workshop “Children’s Education” by toy turner V. Zvezdochkin. According to some reports, two dolls were made at once - one of three dolls, the other is from seven. It alternated between “girl” and “boy” dolls, and the last, one-piece doll, represented a swaddled baby.

Why the doll was called “matryoshka” is not known for sure. There is a legend that the “name” was given in honor of the maid who served tea in the Mamontovs’ house - of course, this can neither be proven nor disproved, but one way or another, the choice was successful. “Matryoshka” is short for Matryona, the Russian version of the name Matrona. This name was common in Russia among peasants - and yet the wooden doll depicted a peasant woman. The very name Matrona translated from Latin means “noble woman” - so in Ancient Rome they called the venerable mother of the family, and this word itself comes from mater - “mother”, which completely corresponds to the symbolism of the matryoshka doll - the inexhaustible birthing “womb”.

One way or another, the invention turned out to be successful. In 1900 The Russian nesting doll was presented at the World Exhibition in Paris, where it was awarded a bronze medal. To this day, the nesting doll, born at the intersection three cultures- Chinese, Japanese and Russian - does not “go off stage” as a souvenir, a children's toy, or even a political pamphlet. And of course, as a gift for foreigners. Truly, it is difficult to imagine a more successful symbol of the friendship of peoples!

We are all familiar with the matryoshka doll - a wooden folding doll that has long become a symbol of Russian folk art and a traditional souvenir that is customary to buy in Russia. But parents should pay attention to the nesting doll as a unique educational toy that is definitely worth purchasing for a child. The matryoshka is simple, like everything ingenious, but this makes it no less interesting for children.

Matryoshka: description of the toy

A traditional matryoshka is a painted wooden doll with dolls nested inside it. smaller size. The shape of the nesting doll is close to the shape of an egg, and the toy has a flat bottom for stability. Each doll, except the very last one, is disassembled into two parts - upper and lower. There are usually at least three dolls in a nesting doll. There are souvenir options of 20, 30 and even 50 elements!

The matryoshka doll, familiar to us, depicts a woman in a red sundress and scarf. However, nowadays there are a wide variety of variations of toy painting: girls, families (grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, child), fairy tale heroes (Turnip, Teremok, Kolobok, Chicken Ryaba), etc. Matryoshka dolls depicting political figures, as well as portrait ones, are popular as souvenirs.

Matryoshka dolls are made mainly from soft wood: linden, less often birch and alder. The logs are dried for several years, with good ventilation. Carefully monitor the quality of wood drying - it should not be damp or dry. Production begins with the smallest non-separable doll. The subsequent ones are made from blanks of the required size (they are cut into two parts and excess wood is removed so that the smaller doll fits tightly inside the larger one). The most big doll has a special stand for stability.

Each figurine is polished, primed and then painted. Most often gouache is used, less often - watercolor, tempera, oil paints. Next, the nesting dolls are coated with oil varnish and dried.

The size of the matryoshka toy depends on the number of elements. The top doll of small nesting dolls of 3 elements has a size of 8-10 cm, of standard ones of 5 elements - 16-18 cm, of 7 elements - 18-21 cm, of 10 elements - 20-25 cm. Huge nesting dolls of 50 dolls have height 65-75 cm.

Matryoshka - a toy or a souvenir?

Before the birth of a child, the matryoshka doll is usually associated among adults with a traditional Russian souvenir. Yes, indeed, this is a very beautiful and bright memento that will decorate any home. Still, the nesting doll is not an ordinary souvenir.

When asked whether nesting dolls are toys or just a piece of furniture, you can answer unequivocally: a nesting doll is a great toy for children! Besides the fact that traditional matryoshka in itself is attractive to a child and you can play with it like a doll, it also folds out, which means you can come up with huge amount options for playing with it.

Firstly, matryoshka is a toy that develops initial movements and perceptions . She develops visual perception and touch, teaches the perception of shapes and colors, helps improve coordination of movements. Simple form nesting dolls and environmental friendliness makes it an excellent educational toy for the youngest children.

Secondly, the matryoshka refers to toys that promote physical development baby . Like other collapsible toys, it trains the muscles of the hands and fingers and promotes the development of fine motor skills.

In addition, the matryoshka is educational toy . This type of toy promotes mental and sensory development and teaching children, expanding their general horizons. When playing with a matryoshka doll, a child solves a problem that is contained in the very design of the toy - to assemble and disassemble the doll. During the game, the baby’s attention and memory develop, his intelligence and observation skills grow.

The history of matryoshka - a Russian folk toy for children

Story wooden toy nesting dolls are vague because different sources describe it differently. Most publications in the media and the Internet say that the first matryoshka was created in late XIX century, during the heyday of society's interest in its own national culture. In the Moscow workshop "Children's Education", created specifically to preserve the traditions of Russian folk toys, turner Vasily Zvezdochkin turned out the first detachable doll. The prototype of the nesting doll, according to sources, is japanese figurine Fukuruma (spelling options - Fukurimi, Fukurama, Fukurokuju, Fukurokuju), one of the seven gods of luck, the god of wisdom and learning.

The artist Sergei Malyutin, a promoter of the “Russian style”, is considered the author of the sketch, the “father of the nesting doll”; in addition, it was he who painted the resulting toy. She was a round-faced peasant woman, dressed in an embroidered shirt and sundress. She was wearing an apron and a colorful scarf, and in her hands she was holding a black rooster. Inside the doll there were 7 more figures: three sisters, one with a sickle and the other with a loaf, a brother in a painted shirt, two more sisters and a swaddled baby - the smallest, inseparable doll. In 1900, the nesting doll received recognition at the World Exhibition in Paris, which led to an increase in demand for this toy.

In fact, the authorship of the nesting doll has not been established for certain. On the one hand, researchers unanimously attribute it to the artist Malyutin. However, turner Zvezdochkin claims in his memoirs that it was he who invented and created the toy. In addition, the artist Sergei Malyutin’s legacy does not actually include a sketch of a matryoshka doll.

There is also confusion about the date of origin of the nesting doll. They call it 1893, 1896, and 1898. Zvezdochkin himself generally mentions the year 1900 - but the World Exhibition had already taken place in April, and perhaps the author admits inaccuracy in the dating (the memoirs were written 50 years later). By the way, Zvezdochkin is talking about creating three- and six-seater nesting dolls, although the Toy Museum in Sergiev Posad houses a matryoshka doll with 8 elements, and it is considered the first.

As for the Japanese origin of the nesting doll, the question remains open on this score. Indeed, the Japanese were excellent turning craftsmen. However, the idea of ​​detachable toys was traditional in Russian folk crafts - just think about Easter eggs. Everyone also knows the fairy tale about an iron chest, inside of which sits a hare, and inside it is a duck, in the duck is an egg - and that’s where Koshchei’s death is located... Perhaps this is exactly what deep meaning nesting dolls: in order to get to the truth, you need to literally get to the bottom of it, tearing off all the covers.

The first Russian nesting doll did not have a name. Matryoshka, by general opinion researchers is a shortened form of the popular name Matryona in Russia, which, in turn, has Latin roots and is translated as “noble woman.” In addition, the name of the nesting doll echoes the ancient Indian word “matri”, which translates as “mother”. Hindu mythology describes matris as female manifestations of the divine, the number of matris ranged from 7 to 16. It looks like our nesting doll, doesn’t it?

Matryoshka is an educational toy! The benefits of your favorite nesting doll in the development of children

Matryoshka dolls are an invaluable aid in children’s development, despite its apparent simplicity. How is a matryoshka useful for a child?

• Matryoshka introduces the baby to Russian folk art, traditional Russian culture.
• A child playing with a matryoshka doll develops fine motor skills, strengthens the muscles of the hands and fingers, which is important for the development of speech.
• This toy can be recommended as one of the first for a child: it is not only attractive, but also environmentally friendly, and also safe due to its round shape.
• Matryoshka helps to get acquainted with colors in the game, develops tactile and visual perception.
• The need to assemble and disassemble a toy, due to its design, trains the child’s attention and thinking.
• With the help of a nesting doll, it is easy to explain to your child the concepts of “big-small”, “more-less”, “before-behind-between”, and introduce the basics of counting.
• Matryoshka is a great toy for role playing games. The very idea of ​​a nesting doll implies a game of family, where there is a matryoshka mother and her children of different ages.

For the nesting doll to be an educational toy, do not make it a familiar subject interior, which is constantly in the baby’s field of vision. Take out the nesting doll only for the duration of the lesson in order to maintain the child’s interest in it. Also, don't forget that positive emotions are the key to the success of developmental activities - play games when the baby is inclined to them.

Games with matryoshka dolls for children

The matryoshka itself is an attractive toy for a child, but it is best for parents not only to give it to the child, but also to teach simple games.

Matryoshka games for little ones (from about 1 year old)

1. Teach your child to open a matryoshka doll. Be surprised and happy with your baby that inside the big doll there is another, smaller one. Is there really someone inside her too?
2. Show your child that each figure is assembled from two specific halves. If the halves do not fit, you will not be able to assemble the whole doll.
3. Tell the baby: “The little doll is scared and asks the big one to hide it.” Let the child try to put the elements of the toy into one another.
4. When the baby is not in the room, place the nesting dolls in visible places. Invite the child who comes in to look for the lost sisters.

Educational games with matryoshka dolls for 2-3 years

1. Ask your child to give you the largest one, two smallest dolls, and a medium-sized doll. Offer to arrange the pupae by height - ascending or descending. You can come up with a story: the nesting dolls went to visit, the mother is in front, and the daughters are behind her, from the largest to the smallest. And the nesting dolls return home in the reverse order.
2. Arrange the nesting dolls according to height, and “forget” one. Let the child guess where exactly it should stand.
3. Place the largest and smallest nesting dolls at some distance from each other. Ask your child to share several large and large toys you have prepared in advance. small size, sending the little ones “to visit” the little doll, and the big ones to the big one.
4. Invite your child to place the nesting dolls in “beds” (for example, rings from a pyramid) or houses (they can be made from cardboard boxes different sizes). To do this, he will first need to distribute the nesting dolls and their cribs/houses by size. Another option for this game is to make several cardboard gates of different sizes in advance. The child needs to find a gate that is suitable in height for each nesting doll.
5. If you have two sets of nesting dolls, mix them up and ask your child to sort them. And two sets of the same number of elements can be arranged in pairs.
6. Trace the bases of the nesting dolls on a piece of paper or cardboard. Let the child choose its own owner for each “chair”. Or you can imagine the circles as train carriages, boats, seats in a cinema, etc.
7. Explain, and then ask questions yourself about the concepts of “more-less”, “higher-lower”, “front-back”, “right-left”.
8. With the help of nesting dolls you can study numerals and the names of the days of the week. Name the nesting dolls with names that are consonant with necessary concepts. Having put the upper halves of the dolls on your fingers, teach your child the names of the fingers.
9. Hide the small nesting doll in any of the larger ones. Ask your child to determine by ear where the baby doll is hiding.

Games with matryoshka dolls for older children (from 3-4 years old)

1. You can put beads/peas or cardboard circles inside the nesting dolls, in ascending order of size. If you want to help your child master numbers, write on the bottom of each nesting doll how many peas it contains. Show your child the number and then count the peas together.
2. Matryoshka is great for role-playing games. Usually the largest nesting doll is the mother, and the smaller ones are her daughters. But for someone, a big nesting doll can also be a dad. Use nesting dolls to play out situations that are close to the child (or children). Communication between a mother and a child who does not obey, relations between older and younger children, conflicts on the playground. Several sets of nesting dolls can represent several families.
3. Children over 4-5 years old can be asked to color the matryoshka blank. How older child, the more independent and accurate his work will be.

Types of nesting dolls

There are both classic wooden ones (with different types paintings), and non-standard nesting dolls: soft, plastic, nesting dolls-Christmas tree toys and others. The photo below shows various variations of nesting dolls:

Wooden matryoshka toys:

(matryoshka, Khokhloma);

(matryoshka, Gzhel);

(Dymkovo matryoshka toy);

(matryoshka doll, Filimonov painting);

(matryoshka doll, Gorodets painting);

(Vyatka matryoshka);

(Semyonovskaya matryoshka).

Wooden nesting dolls depicting fairy tale heroes

Chicken Ryaba:

Soft toy matryoshka

(matryoshka doll, anti-stress toy from Smoltoys);

(knitted nesting doll, handmade).

Matryoshka doll, plastic

New Year's doll

As you can see, a matryoshka is the whole world! It is not without reason that it fell in love and “took root” in Russian culture... Eco-friendly, bright, revealing many possibilities for play, the nesting doll will definitely become one of your child’s favorite toys.

05.06.2017 18:56 3807

Who invented the nesting doll and why is it multi-seat?

The matryoshka has been considered a symbol of Russia for many years. It is a collapsible, multi-place painted doll. Surely some of you have such a souvenir at home. But who came up with this unusual toy? And why is it multi-seat?

There are several assumptions regarding the history of the origin of the nesting doll. According to one version, the very first nesting doll appeared in Russia at the end of the 19th century. At that time, it was an eight-person wooden doll that depicted a girl in a sundress, a white apron and a colorful scarf on her head. In her painted hands she held a black rooster.

This nesting doll was turned by turner V.P. Zvezdochkin in a Moscow workshop-shop called “Children’s Education.” Painted a doll famous artist S.V. Malyutin. And she was named by the name Matryona, popular at that time, or rather a playfully affectionate version of it. It is believed that the prototype of the nesting doll was the figurine of the Japanese saint Fukuruma, which was in the house of the owner of the workshop, Mamontov.

Another assumption about the origin of the nesting doll is connected with Japan. Or rather, it says that the Country Rising Sun(that’s what Japan is called) is the birthplace of this world-famous toy.

In this ancient country many gods. And each of them was responsible for something: some for the harvest, some helped the righteous, and some were the patron of happiness or art. These gods are diverse and have many faces: cheerful, angry, wise... According to Japanese belief, a person has several bodies, each of which is protected by a god.

In this regard, sets of god figures were very popular in Japan. And the first such doll was the figurine of the Buddhist sage Fukuruma, a good-natured bald old man who was responsible for happiness, prosperity and wisdom.

“Perfect in perfect, similar in similar, one in all and all in one” - this is complete uniformity in which the Japanese see the highest meaning and beauty of existence. And this is precisely what the creation of figurines that fold one after another is based on.

And yet, the town of Sergiev Posad near Moscow is still recognized as the real birthplace of the Russian nesting doll - largest center for the production of toys in Russia. The Trinity-Sergius Monastery, located in this city, was the center of artistic crafts of Moscow Rus'. As legends say, Sergius of Radonezh himself, the founder of the monastery, carved toys from wood and gave them to children.

The nesting doll was very popular not only in Russia, but also abroad. After it was introduced in 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, the workshop received many orders for it. As a result, it even got to the point where foreigners began to counterfeit the Russian doll.

Over time, the variety of nesting dolls in Sergiev Posad increased. In addition to the nesting dolls depicting girls in sundresses and scarves with baskets, knots, sickles, etc. they began to make dolls in a sheepskin coat with a shawl on their heads and felt boots in their hands, as well as in the form of shepherdesses with a pipe and even an old man with a thick beard and a large stick, and in many other images.

They also created matryoshka dolls in the form of characters. literary works and fairy tales."Turnip", " Goldfish", "The Little Humpbacked Horse", "Ivan the Tsarevich" - this is just a part of them all. In addition, the craftsmen even tried to change the shape of the nesting dolls, they began to produce figures in the form of an ancient Russian helmet, as well as cone-shaped ones. However, these toys did not find demand and their production was stopped. From that time until now, traditionally shaped nesting dolls have been produced.

It is worth noting that not all wooden figures are called nesting dolls, but only those that are nested inside each other. The most common were 3-, 8- and 12-seater pupae. And in 1913, turner N. Bulychev made a 48-seater nesting doll for a toy exhibition in St. Petersburg!

In 1918, the Toy Museum was created in Moscow, where a workshop was opened where toys, including nesting dolls, were made. Gradually, the production of these dolls spread to many areas of Russia. In each region, the nesting doll was special and had its own unique appearance. For example, the Kirov matryoshka was finished with straw, and the matryoshka from Ufa was created in the Bashkir national style.

There are also historians who believe that the doll was invented and created by ancient Russian craftsmen. At first it was just a wooden block - a children's doll without a face. Then they started painting her - drawing her face and clothes.

And even later, in order to amuse children, they began to make insert figurines for the doll. So the nesting doll became multi-seater. Over time appearance The dolls changed and the number of insert figures also changed. Even nesting dolls appeared with images of generals, and in our time presidents, etc.

There are many disputes about where and when the matryoshka originated. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that the first Russian nesting doll saw the light at the end of the 19th century. Only one question remains: why, when painting a matryoshka doll, do they never draw its legs?

Drawing attention to this fact, some researchers again point out that this could be a sign that Japan could be the birthplace of the nesting doll. And here's why.

IN Japanese culture there is one character - a saint named Daruma. Dolls with his image are also legless. Daruma is a Japanese version Indian name Bodhidharma. This was the name of the Indian sage who came to China and founded the Shaolin Monastery.

So, Japanese legend says that Daruma meditated tirelessly for nine years while looking at the wall. At the same time, he was constantly exposed to various temptations, and one day he suddenly realized that instead of meditating, he fell into sleep.

Then Daruma cut off the eyelids from his eyes with a knife and threw them to the ground so that they would not interfere with him. Now with constantly with open eyes the saint could stay awake. And from his eyelids, which he threw to the ground, a wonderful plant appeared that drove away sleep - this is how real tea grew, according to legend.

However, this toy has one important difference from the matryoshka doll - it is not collapsible and does not accommodate other figures. Therefore, it is unlikely that Daruma could become a model for creating a nesting doll.

Collapsible figurines, both in Russia and in Japan, were popular even before the appearance of nesting dolls. For example, in Rus' “Pysanky” - wooden painted Easter eggs - were popular. Sometimes they were made hollow (empty) inside, and then a smaller one was inserted into the larger figurine. This idea is also found in Russian folklore. Remember what the fairy tale says? - “a needle is in an egg, an egg is in a duck, a duck is in a hare...”.

So it turns out that it is impossible to determine exactly where the beloved doll-matryoshka doll was born...

There are nesting dolls on the counter in the shop,
An intricate outfit surprises and entices
Painted sundresses, cheeks glowing like dawn,
The nesting dolls look like they are alive, sending smiles to everyone.

Versions of the appearance of Matryoshka in Russia

There are a great many versions of the origin of the symbol of Rus' - the Matryoshka. Half of them are related to dolls and gods of Japan.

• For example, the Japanese doll Daruma is a tumbler, personifying the god Bodhidharma, who brings happiness.

• The second version says that Japanese islands there lived a Russian monk who combined the philosophy of the East with a toy, a pear-headed image of the god of wealth, happiness, abundance, wisdom and longevity - Fukurokuju. This god is part of the popular “seven gods of happiness” in Japan, and the figures of these gods could be nested into each other, like in a nesting doll.

• Terimen could also be a prototype. Previously, it was used as a bag for herbs and incense, now more for interior decoration.

• In Russia, the inventor and manufacturer of the “Matryoshka” is considered to be turner Vasily Zvezdochkin, who worked in the workshop - the “Children’s Education” store, this store belonged to the Mamontovs. The painting on the doll was allegedly done by the artist Malyutin.

But where the image of the doll came from is still not clear. According to Zvezdochkin, he saw a suitable piece of wood in a magazine.

But what kind of lump it was is not clear, maybe it was an image of some kind japanese doll.
There is a version that the Japanese god Fukurokuju was brought as a gift to Mamontov’s wife, and Mamontov himself ordered a similar one to be made in his workshops.

And Malyutin’s role in this is not entirely clear; either he painted the doll or not - no sketches have survived to confirm this.

The first matryoshka is considered to be a doll depicting girl with a black rooster.

However, the Russian nesting doll has taken root in Russia and is known throughout the world, and The idea of ​​a wooden toy, which consists of several figures inserted into one another, was inspired by the master who created the matryoshka doll from Russian fairy tales.