Traditional Matryoshka, Russian Nesting dolls, Babushka

  

This set of Matryoshka dolls (5-in-1) is completely handmade and unique. Each single doll is made of natural wood (linden tree). They are all painted with tempera and richly decorated with golden leaf. The dolls are covered with 4-6 layers of lacquer.

This Matryoshka is painted in luscious, bright colors. It is decorated by large amounts of mosaic gold. This nested doll depicts a drama fairy tale of Soviet writer S. Marshak in the work "12 months" which was written in 1942-43 during World War II. It is remarkable that he heard this fairytale in his childhood during a major illness and wrote it down from memory only in last years of his life.

It was printed for the first time in 1958 and since then became one of the most popular fairy tales. Once there lived an evil, greedy woman who loved her own daughter and hated her virtuous, hardworking stepdaughter. On a cold evening in January, she sent her poor stepdaughter to the forest to pick April flowers for her stepsister's birthday.

But the flowers won't be blooming for another two months, at least! " Her stepmother said, "I don't want to hear about it. Go out there and find them and don't come back until you do. The girl had no choice so she started walking through the woods. She walked further and further and it got colder and colder.

Suddenly, she came out into a clearing where she saw twelve men, from very young to very old, dressed in rich clothes. They asked her why she was out at night in the forest during a snowstorm.

She told them that her stepmother had ordered her to pick flowers for her stepsister. The twelve months felt sorry for her, and decided to help her. January, who looked like a very old man, took his cane, hit the ground with it, and chanted a spell. Around them, that cold first month of the year passed by within seconds. He then gave the cane to February, and the same thing happened, and then the cane went to March, who made flowers spring up all over the glade. She picked great armfuls of tender spring flowers and put them in her basket. The girl found the twelve months, but this daughter was rude to them and did not get anything. January waved his hand and she was buried in thick layers of snow. Her mother tried to find her, but also was frozen to death. The kindhearted stepdaughter lived long and happily. In May she had the freshest flowers in her house, in June the best berries, and in September the best apples. People said that the twelve months visited her regularly and always gave her their blessings.

(Height) The tallest Matryoshka -18cm (7 inch). This item is in the category "Dolls & Bears\Dolls, Clothing & Accessories\Dolls & Doll Playsets".

The seller is "spb-souvenirs" and is located in this country: RU. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Brand: Unbranded
• Type: Nesting
• Number of Pieces: 5
• Featured Refinements: Matryoshka Nesting Doll
• Material: Wood
• Country/Region of Manufacture: Russian Federation