Matryoshka ~ Soul of Russia

Author: Linda DeLaine
Website: RL Online
Department:
Page: 2   ( 3) pages

Summary: Part II - Sergiev Posad Matryoshka

By the end of the 19th century, the matryoshka was so popular that the tradition was assumed by the workshops in and around Sergiev Posad, Russia's center for toy making. Matryoshka production flourished in the villages surrounding this town and home to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra .

Sergiev Posad is situated about 50 miles outside of Moscow. Monk, now saint, Sergius built a small chapel in the forest back in the mid-1300s. This chapel grew to become Russia's largest monastery with thriving villages around it. Art and folk craft was promoted by the monastery which produced wooden toys, known as Trinity toys, to sell in the large, open-air market in front of the monastery. The first such toy, according to legend, was made by the Prior, Sergious Radonezhsky, who enjoyed giving these toys to the children of the community. Legend, also, claims that the Tsar's children enjoyed playing with Trinity toys, too. Often, these toys were purchased when the tsar and his family went to the monastery to pray. Typically, Trinity toys included such things as a wooden horse with a tiny leather bridle or hand painted, wooden character dolls dressed in traditional costume.

The Sergiev Posad matryoshka are known for their realistic characters. The early Sergiev Posad matryoshka were painted by students and artists from the local icon painting school and portrayed peasant girls in colorful costume and often with baskets or bunches of flowers. Other characters, such as a shepherd, girl with a goose and old man with a long beard, were popular as well. The style developed at Sergiev Posad was steeped in tradition and folk culture. It was bold and expressive in contrast to the more refined work of professional artists and the Russian style.

The iconographers of Sergiev Posad contributed heavily to this unique style. Russian iconography has its roots in the Byzantine tradition where the focus of the work is on the face of the subject with its well defined features. This ancient art form was applied to the Sergiev Posad matryoshkas. In fact, matryoshkas were painted in the icon painting school of Sergiev Posad. Conversely, many of the area's toy makers were involved with the production of icons. The icon painters welcomed the opportunity to do paintings of the people and characters around them in everyday life. This was something that was not allowed in iconography. By painting matryoshkas, these artists were able to explore their creative instincts without the more confining rules involved with icon painting.

It was common for these matryoshkas, with their many pieces, to represent an entire family of characters. Historical figures, folklore and fictional characters and scenes from popular stories were developed. For example, two special matryoshkas were created in 1912 for the 100th anniversary of Napoleon's fateful march on Moscow. One was of the Russian general, Kutuzov and the other of Napoleon. Each contained smaller pieces representing their respective commanders.

The Artisan-Artist artel was established in 1910, in Sergiev Posad. Under the Soviets, this group was renamed The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Artel and, in 1928, became Toy Factory #1. By 1911, the list of matryoshka characters numbered 21. The Sergiev Posad matryoshkas included as few as two pieces and as many as 24 with the most popular including 3, 8 or 12 pieces. A huge matryoshka was created for the Exhibition of Toys, in St. Petersburg (1913) and included 48 pieces. The largest known Sergiev Posad matryoshka was created in 1967 and included an amazing 60 pieces!

During the Soviet era, art in general, as well as the painting style of the matryoshka, was very stylized and factory produced. In 1995, Sergievskay Igrushka (Sergiev Toy Factory) was established and tasked with reviving the style and tradition of Sergiev Posad during the early part of the 20th century. Its products include the old matryoshka, wooden toys and other traditional, wooden, turned items.

Semionov and Polkhovsky Maidan Matryoshka . . .

Another major matryoshka center was in Semionov and a unique style was created. The Semionov works were more symbolic and less realistic than Sergiev Posad. The Semionov artists concentrated more on the ornate floral adornment of ancient Russian art. Unlike the Sergiev Posad artists, this group used aniline dyes; synthetic dyes which come from coal tars. Another noticeable difference between the Sergiev Posad and Semionov styles was the latter left more blank space on the matryoshkas. The matryoshkas of Semionov were slender in shape with a wide bottom. This differed from the Sergiev Posad form which featured a larger, more rounded top or head and slightly larger bottom.

The Semionov painters used a lighter brush stroke and the focal point of the figure was the apron. This served as the place for a bright, detailed floral bouquet reminiscent of the floral still life art of the old Russian masters. To give the bouquet further definition, grass sap was applied. The dominate color of the bouquet set the stage for the rest of the matryoshka. The primary colors used were yellow, red and blue.

Semionov matryoshkas are known for having many pieces; 15 to 18 was typical. The largest Semionov matryoshka included 72 pieced, stood three feet tall and roughly 1.5 feet in diameter. Some of the most famous Semionov subjects are Russian Lad and Russian Lass.

Yet another wood working center, which became known for its matryoshka is Polkhovsky Maidan, located south-west of Nizhny Novgorod. Early production was in the style of Sergiev Posad, but soon the craftsmen of Polkhovsky Maidan began using aniline dyes like the craftsmen of Semionov. The Polkhovsky Maidan dolls featured even brighter colors and bolder ornamentation than the Semionov creations. The principle colors used together and in contrast were crimson, yellow, green, violet and blue. The style of Polkhovsky Maidan is almost cartoonish, resembling the less refined style of a child's rendering. Like Semionov, special attention was paid to the floral bouquet painted on the matryoshka's apron with less detail afforded the rest of the character's costume. Dog rose was the floral adornment of choice as it stood for motherhood and love.

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