Russian nesting dolls which are handmade and hand painted in Russia, no two sets are ever exactly alike.
Russian nesting dolls are traditionally made from either linden or birch wood. After trees are felled they are left in the forest to season for three years, this is to ensure that the dolls will not crack after they have been made.
The dolls are turned in two halves, with craftsmen making the bottom halves in one size before making the tops to fit. Traditionally the dolls are made by men and painted by women. However, this is not strictly the case today with craftsmen and women able to most jobs to create a set of dolls.
Once the doll is painted, it is lacquered, sometimes by rolling a doll between hands dipped in lacquer. The lacquer then dries for twenty four hours, then the process is repeated, most artists apply two or three layers of lacquer.
Genuine Russian nesting dolls, or Matroyshkas, are recognised all over the world as one of Russia's most famous exports and a most unique craft.
The idea of a nesting doll is believed to have originated on the island of Honsha, and it was adopted enthusiastically by the Russians. The first Matroyshkas appeared in the 1880's, and so are a relatively new part of Russian history and tradition.
Most dolls were made in a small town called Sergiev Posad, which is located 50 km outside Moscow. This is still the centre of production today.
(Examples of this artists work, click to enlarge.)
