Matryoshka - Russian toy

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

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

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

A frequently repeated well-known version: the matryoshka appeared in Russia at the end of the 19th century, it was invented by the artist Malyutin, the turner Zvezdochkin was chiselled in the Mamontov's Children's Education workshop, and the prototype of the Russian matryoshka was the figurine of one of the seven Japanese gods of luck - the god of learning and wisdom Fukuruma. He's Fukurokuju, he's Fukurokuju (different sources indicate different transcriptions of the name).

Another version of the appearance of the future nesting doll in Russia is that a Russian Orthodox missionary monk who visited Japan and copied a composite toy from the Japanese one was supposedly the first to carve such a toy. Let's make a reservation right away: there is no exact information 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? What for? Did you like the toy? It is doubtful, although from the point of view of borrowing and the desire to alter it in your own way, it is possible. This reminds of the legend about “Christian monks who fought with the enemies of Rus”, but for some reason bore (after baptism!) The pagan names Peresvet and Oslyabya.

The third version - the Japanese figurine was allegedly brought from the island of Honshu in 1890 to the Mamontovs' estate near Moscow in Abramtsevo. “The Japanese toy had a secret: his whole family was hiding in the old man Fukurumu. One Wednesday, when the art 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. Of course, he did not repeat the Japanese deity, he made a sketch of a chubby peasant girl in a flowered kerchief. And to make her look more human, I drew a black rooster in her hand. The next young lady was with a sickle in her hand. Another - with a loaf of bread. What about sisters without a brother - and he appeared in a painted shirt. A whole family, friendly and hardworking.

He ordered V. Zvezdochkin, the best lathe operator in the Sergiev Posad training and demonstration workshops, to make his own nevyvalinka. The first matryoshka is now kept in the Toy Museum in Sergiev Posad. Painted with gouache, it doesn't look very festive.

Here we are all matryoshka and matryoshka … But this doll didn't even have a name. And when the turner made it, and the artist painted it, then the name came by itself - Matryona. They also say that at Abramtsevo evenings tea was served by a servant with that name. Look through at least a thousand names - and none of them will match this wooden doll better."

Let us dwell on this moment for now. Judging by the above passage, the first nesting doll was carved in Sergiev Posad. But, firstly, the turner Zvezdochkin did not work until 1905 in the Sergiev Posad workshops! This will be discussed below. Secondly, other sources say that “she was born (matryoshka - approx.) Right here, in Leontyevsky lane (in Moscow - approx.), In house number 7, where there used to be a workshop-shop“Children's Education”,owned by Anatoly Ivanovich Mamontov, brother of the famous Savva. Anatoly Ivanovich, like his brother, was fond of national art. In his workshop-shop, artists constantly worked on the creation of new toys for children. And one of the samples was made in the form of a wooden doll, which was turned on a lathe and depicted a peasant girl in a scarf and an apron. This doll opened up, and there was another peasant girl, in her - another ….

Thirdly, it is doubtful that the matryoshka could have appeared in 1890 or 1891, which will be discussed in more detail below.

Confusion has already been created, according to the principle of "who, where and when was, or was not." Perhaps the most painstaking, thorough and balanced study was conducted by Irina Sotnikova, her article "Who invented the matryoshka" can be found on the Internet. The arguments given by the author of the study most objectively reflect the real facts of the appearance of such an unusual toy as the matryoshka in Russia.

Sotnikova writes the following about the exact date of the matryoshka's appearance: “… sometimes the appearance of the matryoshka is dated 1893-1896, since it was possible to establish these dates from the reports and reports of the Moscow provincial zemstvo council. In one of these reports for 1911, N. D. Bartram 1 writes that the matryoshka was born about 15 years ago, and in 1913 in the Bureau's report to the artisan council, he says that the first matryoshka was created 20 years ago. That is, relying on such approximate messages is rather problematic, therefore, in order to avoid mistakes, the end of the 19th century is usually named, although there is a mention of 1900, when the matryoshka won recognition at the World Exhibition in Paris, and orders for its production appeared abroad."

This is followed by a very curious 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 legacy. There is no evidence that the artist ever made this sketch. Moreover, the turner Zvezdochkin ascribes the honor of inventing the matryoshka to himself, without mentioning Malyutin at all."

As for the origin of our Russian nesting dolls from the Japanese Fukuruma, here Zvezdochkin does not mention anything about Fukuruma either. Now you should pay attention to an important detail that somehow escapes other researchers, although this, as they say, can be seen with the naked eye - we are talking about a certain ethical moment. If we take as a basis the version of "the origin of the matryoshka from the sage Fukuruma", a rather strange feeling arises - SHE and OH, i.e. The Russian nesting doll, they say, descended from him, from the Japanese sage. In a suspicious way, a symbolic analogy with the Old Testament tale suggests itself, where Eve was created from the rib of Adam (that is, she descended from him, and not vice versa, as it happens naturally in nature). A very strange impression is formed, but we will talk about the symbolism of the matryoshka below.

Let us return to Sotnikova's research: “Here is how turner Zvezdochkin describes the emergence of the matryoshka:“… In 1900 (!) I invent a three- and six-seat (!) Matryoshka and send it to an exhibition in Paris. He worked for Mamontov for 7 years. In 1905 V. I. Borutsky 2 subscribes me to Sergiev Posad in 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 born in the village of Shubino, Podolsk district). This means that the matryoshka could not have been born earlier than 1898. Since the master's memoirs were written almost 50 years later, it is still difficult to vouch for their accuracy, therefore, the appearance of the matryoshka can be dated approximately 1898-1900 years. As you know, the World's Fair in Paris opened in April 1900, which means that this toy was created a little earlier, possibly in 1899. By the way, the Mamontovs received a bronze medal for toys at the Paris exhibition."

But what about the shape of the toy and did Zvezdochkin borrow the idea of a future nesting doll, or not? Or was the initial sketch of the figurine created by the artist Malyutin?

“Interesting facts were collected by E. N. Shulgina, who in 1947 became interested in the history of the creation of the matryoshka. From conversations with Zvezdochkin, she learned that he had once seen a "suitable chock" in a magazine and carved a figurine based on her model, which had a "ridiculous appearance, looked like a nun" and was "deaf" (did not open). On the advice of the 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 who worked 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 handicraftsmen.

Probably, we will never be able to find out exactly about the participation of S. V. Malyutin in creating a nesting doll. According to the memoirs of V. P. It turns out that the shape of the nesting doll was invented by him himself, but the master could have forgotten about the painting of 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 well paint the first nesting doll, and then other masters painted the toy on his model."

Let's return once again to the research of I. Sotnikova, where she writes that initially there was no agreement on the number of matryoshka dolls in one set either - unfortunately, there is confusion on this score in different sources:

“Turner Zvezdochkin claimed that he originally made two nesting dolls: three and six. The Toy Museum in Sergiev Posad contains an eight-seat matryoshka, which is considered the first, the same chubby girl in a sarafan, an apron, a flowered kerchief holding a black rooster in her hand. She is followed by three sisters, a brother, two more sisters and a baby. It is very often stated that there were not eight, but seven dolls; they also say that girls and boys alternated. This is not the case for the kit stored in the Museum.

Now about the prototype of the matryoshka. Was there a Fukuruma? Some doubt it, although why did this legend appear then, and is it a legend? It seems that a 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. Bartram, director of the Toy Museum, doubted that the nesting doll “was borrowed by us from the Japanese. The Japanese are great masters of turning toys. But their well-known "kokeshi" in principle of their construction do not look like a nesting doll."

Who is our mysterious Fukuruma, good-natured bald sage, where did he come from? … By tradition, the Japanese visit temples dedicated to the deities of fortune on New Year's Eve and acquire their small figurines there. Could it be that the legendary Fukuruma contained the other six fortune deities within him? This is just our assumption (rather controversial).

V. P. Zvezdochkin does not mention Fukuruma at all - a figurine of a saint that was decomposed into two parts, then another old man appeared, 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, there was no him, it is difficult to recognize, but not so important. Who remembers him now? But the whole world knows and loves our matryoshka!"

Matryoshka name

Why was the original wooden toy doll 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,”Matrona was written in the church way, among the diminutive names: Motya, Motrya, Matryosha, Matyusha, Tyusha, Matusya, Tusya, Musya. That is, in theory, the matryoshka could be called a motka (or muska). It sounds, of course, strange, although what is worse, for example, "marfushka"? Also a good and common name is Martha. Or Agafya, by the way, a popular painting on porcelain is called "eaglet". Although we agree that the name “Matryoshka” is a very apt one, the doll has really become “noble”.

The very name Matrona really means "noble woman" in translation from Latin, and is included in the Orthodox Church calendar. But, as for the assertion of many researchers that Matryona is a female name, very beloved and widespread among the peasantry in Russia, there are interesting facts here. Some researchers simply forget that Russia is big. And 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 of the Northern Territory", collected by I. V. Karnaukhova, there is a fairy tale "Matryona". In which it tells how a woman named Matryona almost tortured the devil. In the published text, a passer-by-potter saves the devil from a lazy and harmful woman and, accordingly, further 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 about 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.

Matryoshka symbolism

Considering one of the versions about the origin of the matryoshka, I have already mentioned the "Japanese origin". But does the above-mentioned foreign version generally fit in its symbolic meaning to our nesting doll?

At one of the forums on the topic of culture, in particular, deployed on the Internet, literally the following sounded: “The prototype of the Russian nesting doll (also has Indian roots) is a Japanese wooden doll. They took a Japanese toy as a model - daruma, a tumbler doll. According to its origins, it is an image of the ancient Indian sage Daruma (Skt. Bodhidharma) who moved to China in the 5th century. His teachings spread widely in Japan in the Middle Ages. Daruma called for the comprehension of the truth through silent contemplation, and in one of the legends he is a cave recluse, fat from immobility. According to another legend, his legs were taken away from immobility (hence the legless sculptural images of Daruma).

Nevertheless, the matryoshka immediately won unprecedented recognition as a symbol of Russian folk art.

There is a belief that if you put a note with a desire inside the matryoshka, it will certainly come true, and the more work is put into the matryoshka, i.e. the more places there are in it and the higher the quality of the matryoshka painting, the faster the wish will come true. Matryoshka means warmth and comfort in the house”.

It is difficult to disagree with the latter - the more places there are in the matryoshka, i.e. the more internal figures, one smaller than the other, the more you can put notes with desires there and wait for them to be performed. This is a kind of game, and the nesting doll here acts as a very charming, cute, homely symbol, a real work of art.

As for the eastern sage Daruma (here is another name for the "predecessor" of the matryoshka!) - to be honest, the "sage" who has grown fat from immobility, and even with his legs taken away, is extremely poorly associated with a Russian toy, in which everyone sees a positive, elegant symbolic image. And because of this beautiful image, our nesting doll is very famous and popular almost all over the world. We are not talking at all about "nesting dolls" in the form of male (!) Political figures, whose caricatured faces flooded the entire Old Arbat in Moscow in the nineties by enterprising artisans. This is, first of all, about the continuation of the old traditions of different schools in the painting of Russian nesting dolls, about the creation of matryoshka dolls of different quantity (so-called "terrain").

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

So, in an amazing way, there was a coincidence of the name Matron, who migrated (according to the generally accepted version) from Latin to Russian, with ancient Indian images:

MATRI (Old Ind. "Mother"), the emphasis is on the first syllable - in Hindu mythology, divine mothers, personifying the creative and destructive forces of nature. The idea of an active feminine principle was widely recognized in Hinduism in connection with the spread of the shakti cult. Matris were considered as female personifications of the creative energy of the great gods: Brahma, Shiva, Skanda, Vishnu, Indra, etc. The number of the Matri ranged from seven to sixteen; some texts have spoken of them as "the great crowd."

Doesn't this remind you of anything? Matryoshka is a “mother”, which symbolizes, in fact, the FAMILY, and even consisting of a different number of figures that symbolize children of different ages. This is no longer just a coincidence, but a proof of common, Indo-European roots, which is directly related to the Slavs.

From this we can draw the following conclusion: figuratively speaking, if the symbolic "journey" of an unusual wooden figurine begins in India, then gets its continuation in China, from there the figurine gets to Japan, and only then "unexpectedly" finds its place in Russia - the statement that that our Russian nesting doll was copied from the figurine of the Japanese sage is untenable. If only because the figurine of some 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 influenced the cultures of other peoples, including the one that manifested itself both in language and in the divine pantheon, has a common basis for Indo-European civilization.

However, most likely, the idea of a wooden toy, which consists of several figures inserted into one another, was inspired by Russian fairy tales to the master who created the matryoshka. Many, for example, know and remember the tale of Koschey, with whom Ivan Tsarevich is fighting. For example, Afanasyev has a story about the prince's search for "koshchey's death": “To accomplish such a feat, extraordinary efforts and work are needed, because Koshchei's death is hidden far away: on the sea on the ocean, on an island on Buyan, there is a green oak tree, under that oak tree an iron chest, a hare in that chest, a duck in a hare, an egg in a duck; one has only to crush an egg - and Koschey instantly dies”[8].

I agree that the plot is dark in itself, because associated with death. But here we are talking about a symbolic meaning - where is the truth hidden? The fact is that this almost identical mythological plot is found not only in Russian fairy tales, and even in different versions, but also among other peoples! “It is obvious that in these epic expressions lies a mythical tradition, an echo of the prehistoric era; otherwise, how could such identical legends arise among different peoples? Koschey (a snake, a giant, an old sorcerer), following the usual method of the folk epic, tells the secret of his death in the form of a riddle; to solve it, you need to substitute metaphorical expressions for common understanding."

This is our philosophical culture. And therefore, it is highly likely that the master who carved the matryoshka remembered and knew Russian fairy tales well - in Russia a myth was often projected onto real life.

In other words, one is hidden in the other, enclosed - and in order to find the truth, it is necessary to get to the bottom, revealing, one by one, all the “caps”. Maybe this is the real meaning of such a wonderful Russian toy as the matryoshka - a reminder to descendants of the historical memory of our people?

And it is no coincidence that the remarkable Russian writer Mikhail Prishvin once wrote the following: “I thought that each of us has life like the outer shell of a folding Easter egg; it seems that this red egg is so big, and this is just a shell - you open it, and there is a blue one, a smaller one, and again a shell, and then a green one, and at the very end, for some reason, always a yellow testicle will pop out, but this does not open up anymore, and this the most, the most ours."

So it turns out that the Russian nesting doll is not so simple - this is an integral part of our life.