Japanese roots of the Russian nesting doll. Japanese Fukuruma - prototype of the Russian Matryoshka

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 nesting dolls made in different regions Russia and in different time. But little is said about the true origin of the nesting doll.

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 “ Children's education" Mamontov, and served as the prototype of the Russian nesting doll. He's the same Fukurokuju, aka Fukurokuju(indicated in different sources different transcription name).

Another version the appearance of the future nesting doll in Russia - supposedly 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 doll:

Version three – Japanese figurine as if they were brought from the island in 1890 to the Mamontovs’ estate in Abramtsevo near Moscow.

« 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 Leontyevsky 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 turned on a 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 called, 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, 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 this is visible, as they say, 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 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 matryoshka doll: “...In 1900 (!) I invent a three- and six-seater (!) 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 to 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 doll:

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 the participation of S.V. Malyutin in the creation of matryoshka dolls. According to the memoirs of V.P. Zvezdochkina, 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 doll:

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 of the 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 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 doll:

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 (Sanskrit: Bodhidharma) who 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 there are and the better the quality of the matryoshka’s painting, the faster the wish 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 matryoshka 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, 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 at all talking about “matryoshka dolls” in the form of male (!) political figures, with whose caricatured faces enterprising artisans flooded the entire Old Arbat in Moscow in the nineties. 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 “locality”).

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 decorations(female and male), 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 they were also carriers of certain symbolism and had some meaning. And the very concept of symbolism was closely intertwined with mythology.

So, amazingly there was a coincidence of the name Matrona, which migrated (according to the 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 recognition 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 influenced 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.

However, our nesting doll is just over a hundred years old. How folk craft The nesting doll is young, but its origin is shrouded in mystery. Unknown exact time making the first matryoshka doll and historical background. Questions arise about the authorship of the first nesting doll and its name.

History of Matryoshka

Many researchers adhere to the version of the origin of the nesting doll from a Japanese folding toy, depicting one of the seven Japanese gods good luck - Fukurumu (Fukurokuju, Fukurokuju) - the god of learning and wisdom. But the problem is that the Japanese do not have such a toy, as well as the word “fukurumu” itself.

There is a 15th century legend according to which seven Chinese sages moved to Japan on a treasure ship. Among them was the sage Fukuroju (Fukurokuju). In Japan, he is considered the god of wisdom, academic career, intuition and longevity. Fukuroju is a synthesized image of the three Chinese star elders Fuk, Luk and Sau (Fu, Lu and Shou), and therefore has another name Shou - Xing.

The image of Fukuroju, most often painted or sculpted (netsuke), was distinguished by his head stretched upward, which testified to his wisdom. A folding toy of this god, especially a popular one, most likely simply did not exist. In any case, it is very difficult to find material on the Japanese folding doll.

Some Russian and Japanese researchers consider the very popular Daruma doll in Japan to be the prototype of the matryoshka doll. The appearance of daruma figurines dates back to the 12th-14th centuries. This doll bears a pronounced religious - cultic and even magical meaning. Its peculiarity is the presence of empty eye sockets.

When buying such a doll before the New Year and making a wish, the Japanese draw one eye on it and leave it for a year. If the wish comes true, a second eye is painted on her; if it doesn’t come true, she is taken back to the temple where she was bought. The dolls collected in this way are subsequently burned, but this ritual is not revenge on the doll, but a symbol of the search for new ways to implement the plan.

The Daruma doll acquired its familiar form approximately 200 years ago. It is often performed in the form of a tumbler doll, painted red to scare away smallpox demons, yellow, green and white. By the way, it is also considered the prototype of the Russian tumbler, which appeared in Russia in early XIX century. Perhaps Daruma inspired Russian craftsmen to create the tumbler doll, but the nesting dolls... It’s very doubtful.

Traditional and very popular in Japan is the Kokeshi doll, which could also be the prototype of our matryoshka doll.

If in Japanese family If a daughter was stillborn or she died before the age of three, she was simply buried and a Kokeshi doll was made in memory of her. Therefore, the doll depicts only girls and has a cylindrical base with a moving round head. Kokeshi acquired the status of a kind of souvenir approximately 200 years ago.

What brings Kokeshi closer to the matryoshka doll? Both Kokeshi and matryoshka dolls are made of wood and decorated with paintings. But the design and internal contents of the dolls are different. Therefore, it is unlikely that Kokeshi has anything to do with the matryoshka doll.

There is one more point that, in my opinion, should be noted. For almost the entire Edo period* (1603 - 1868), Japan pursued a sakoku policy, that is, the country did not trade or communicate with other countries except China and Holland, with which relations, presumably, were also limited. It is unlikely that dolls of ritual significance, like Darumu or Kokeshi, were exported in large quantities at this time.

*During the Edo period, the formation of the Japanese spirit, the emergence of the national Japanese idea, and the development of the economy and bureaucracy took place. The Edo period is the golden age of literature and Japanese poetry.

Dolls play an important role in Japanese culture. By Japanese masters Wonderful examples of dolls have been created from paper, fabric, clay, wood and other materials. Three-dimensional Japanese toys have existed for more than 1,500 years, but the doll in the form of a matryoshka appears only in late XIX century. At the end of the 19th century, the Russian matryoshka was born.

If there was japanese doll, which served as the prototype for the matryoshka doll, why is it missing from traditional Japanese doll exhibitions?

The first matryoshka

It is believed that the first nesting doll was carved by the Russian turner V.P. Zvezdochkin, and painted with gouache by the artist Sergei Malyutin. And although the artist’s authorship is questioned in some sources due to the lack of preliminary sketches, he could have painted the toy impromptu.

Nesting products, including eggs, began to be produced at the Hakone resort in Japan around mid-19th century (1844).

But in Russian culture the principle of investment has been used for a long time. Russian craftsmen sharpened nested Easter eggs, apples, balls, and buckets. In 1664, Prokopiy Ivanov was given the order to paint 170 Easter eggs. IN XVIII-XIX centuries Easter egg painting is becoming widespread. In 1874, the Tyulin brothers, icon painters from Mstera, made Easter eggs to greet high-ranking persons. Each egg was carved from wood and consisted of two halves. The egg was elegant and light.

It must be said that wooden toys in Rus' were always made with great love. According to archaeological data, the existence of toys is known already in the 9th century.

In 1721, for the children of Peter I, they purchased various toys, including three wooden children and a whole town with soldiers. We learn all this from the records of palace expenses.

The variety of toys and the creative imagination of their authors is amazing. In Russia there were a variety of wooden dolls: ladies, hussars, children, parsleys, clowns, soldiers, etc., not to mention images of animals. Handicraft toy production reached its greatest prosperity in the middle of the 19th century.

One can only be surprised by the abundance of not only wooden, but also other toys: “babies”, “blinkers”, “sailors”, “coaches”, “diapers”, “skeletons”, “waists”.

Moreover, many of them were mechanical. What kind of mechanisms were used to bring the toy to life? Moreover, on turn of the 19th century- XX centuries developed a wide social movement for saving national culture, which began to gradually lose its position under the onslaught of factory and industrial products. New forms of traditional products were sought.

But let's return to the nesting doll. If we compare the historical versions of the origin of tumblers and nesting dolls, we get the following picture. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Daruma doll was brought to Russia and, on its basis, Russian craftsmen composed Vanka - a stand-up doll.

At the end of the 19th century, the Fukuruma doll was brought in and Russian craftsmen finally figured out that instead of a folding wooden egg or apple, they could make a wooden folding doll. The question arises. Having a long and rich experience in making chiseled, carved, intricate mechanical wooden toys, the Russian man could not reach the matryoshka doll with his own mind? Let me note that neither the idea of ​​nesting, nor the idea of ​​making dolls from wood, nor the shape of the nesting doll, which overall resembles an egg, were new to him. In addition, there is no direct evidence that these dolls were borrowed from Japanese models.

The fact that the nesting doll spread very quickly in different regions of Russia does not suggest that the soil for its emergence was simply well prepared by that time, nothing needed to be developed?!

Matryoshka is considered a symbol of Russian traditional culture. It contains a certain mystery, which foreigners call the “mystery” of the Russian soul. Isn’t this a confirmation of the truly Russian spiritual basis for the emergence of the Russian Matryoshka?

From Japan with... matryoshka.

Caviar, kiosk, norma, perestroika, Cheburashka, matryoshka...

A number of words got into Japanese from Russian. Behind this lie sometimes romantic, sometimes detective, and sometimes even simply fantastic stories.

Kazumi Suzuki (Director of the Matryoshka shop "Rynokku")
They say that 100 years ago, a monk from Russia was traveling in Japan and saw in the Hakone Mountains a wooden doll of Irekoningyo, one of the seven gods of wealth and prosperity of Shichifukujin. He took her with him, and this is how the nesting doll was born

Today, not many Japanese know that the “ancestors” of the nesting dolls come from Japan. Even if the nesting doll is painted like a Maneki-neko cat, or a sumo wrestler. There is no scarf on her head, but all the same, any Japanese will immediately say that it is a nesting doll.

Mariko Taguchi (matryoshka painting teacher)
At first, I also didn’t know that nesting dolls come from Japan. I used to do wood painting. After meeting the nesting dolls, my whole life is dedicated to the nesting dolls.

But Japanese nesting dolls has its own characteristics: for example, the eyes are located on long distance than the nesting dolls from Russia. In addition, pastel colors predominate.

The differences between countries and peoples are the first thing that strikes the eye, some causing admiration, some causing bewilderment or even condemnation. But people, and this is very important, are brought together by common and similar things. It can hide in the most unexpected places. And the nesting doll is just one of these examples. The attitude to see such commonality is necessary and important!

The Japanese would not be Japanese if they had not continued their improvement and synthesized the matryoshka doll with another Russian invention of the 20th century - the terminvox.

Even in my youth, I was fascinated by the unique sound of the termvox instrument and decided to make it my life’s work. In 1993 I was lucky and was able to go to Russia. Then I realized that I simply had to open the world of termvox to the Japanese, special culture and the philosophy of Russian music.

The creator of a new instrument decided that he needed to do something special! Literally on the verge of pop culture. At some point it dawned on him - to put the term inside the nesting doll! And imagine, people noticed the new product. Plus, it's hollow inside wooden matryoshka enriched the sound of the termvox, giving it unique warmth and depth.

Masami Takeuchi (creator of Matryomin)
We decided to call the new instrument Matryoshka + Term: “Matryomin”. It is much easier to play than the large Terminvox. In addition, ensemble and orchestral music can be performed on matreminas.

All matryoshka dolls for matremins are made in the city of Semenov in Russia, and the electrical part is made in Japan. Now Matryomin is gradually spreading throughout the world.

The nesting doll turned out to be an example of re-export, successful cooperation between Russia and Japan - it returned to its historical homeland and even eclipsed its Japanese prototype.
Nand at first glance, it is difficult for both us and the Japanese to find commonality in irekoningyo and the matryoshka doll, but they both have something in common not only in distant history, but continuation today, and one can hope - development tomorrow.

There are different versions of the appearance of the nesting doll in Russia, called different names, but the starting point is always Japan.
“The history of the nesting doll began when, in the nineties of the 19th century, his wife brought from Japan a figurine of a good-natured bald old man, the sage Fukuruma, to Mamontov’s Moscow toy workshop “Children’s Education.” It is believed that this particular toy served as the prototype of the modern matryoshka.”

"Savva Ivanovich Mamontov had a brother - Anatoly Ivanovich, he had a wife Maria Mamontova, and she held book Shop in Moscow under the name “Children’s Education”. And then someone comes to her, gives her a souvenir from Japan - a figurine of a certain old sage - either Fukuruma, or Fukuruji, they call it differently - there is a purely Japanese idea: 9 astral bodies, one is embedded in the other, varying degrees of perfection, and as it grows, the multi-component figure that this same Fkuruji or Fukuruma represents is obtained. Mamontova really liked this figurine - there is an element of play and surprise here. She thought - what to do here in Russian folk spirit? I gave it to the artist Sergei Milyutin for consideration, he became interested, and now local wood turner Vasily Zvezdochkin carves approximately the same figurine, but with a female silhouette, gives it to Milyutin, who paints it in the form of a girl holding a black chicken under her arm. This is such a cute, rustic, peasant, one might say, plot. They called her Matryona, Matryoshka - a diminutive. This is how this very Russian nesting doll is born." (radio "Echo of Moscow")

“Japan is a country of many gods and each of them is responsible for something: either for the harvest, or helps the righteous, or is the patron of happiness and art. Four more figures of his famous students were put into that detachable figurine of the old sage.”

Entire sets of god figures were popular in Japan at that time. Fukuruma, the bald old man was responsible for happiness, prosperity and wisdom.

The creators of the first nesting doll are Vasily Petrovich Zvezdochkin and Sergei Vasilyevich Malyutin. Moreover, both masters attribute the emergence of the idea to themselves. Zvezdochkin then worked in Mamontov’s workshop “Children’s Education” and carved similar figures from wood that were nested one inside the other, and the artist Sergei Malyutin, a future academician of painting, painted them to look like girls and boys. The first matryoshka depicted a girl in a simple city costume: a sundress, an apron, and a scarf with a rooster. The toy consisted of eight figures. The image of the girl alternated with the image of the boy, differing from each other. The last one depicted a swaddled baby. It was painted with gouache.
This first nesting doll is now in the Toy Museum in Sergiev Posad.

There are many versions of why the name for this toy was chosen Matryona - the most common one - that it was the most common name then. It is also based on Latin word"mater", which means "mother". This name was associated with the mother of a huge family, with good health and a portly figure, and was perfect for the new Russian wooden doll. They also say that at the Abramtsevo evenings held at Mamontov’s estate, tea was served by a servant with that name.

"Was there Fukuruma? They say that the wooden idol is still kept in the Toy Museum in Sergiev Posad. Perhaps this is also one of the legends. By the way, N.D. Bartram himself, director of the Toy Museum, doubted that the matryoshka " borrowed by us 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, the good-natured bald sage, where did he come from? Apparently, this saint is one of the seven gods of fortune, the god of learning and wisdom Fukurokuju. His head has unusual shape: the forehead is excessively high, as befits a man of remarkable intelligence; in his hands he holds a staff and a scroll. But did the legendary Fukuruma contain the other six deities of fortune within itself?

"According to another legend, on Japanese island A fugitive Russian monk settled in Honshu, who combined Eastern philosophy with a children's toy. He carved a figurine of the Buddhist deity of happiness and longevity, Fukuruma-za, whose head was stretched upward from numerous thoughts. The doll was detachable, and inside the Enlightened One there were several more of the same “enlightenment” ones. Whether this story is true or not, it is known for certain that detachable figurines of Fukuruma and another Buddhist saint, Daruma, were very widespread in Japan. "

Fukurokuju

Daruma

Daruma

Daruma

Daruma

Modern "matryoshka" dolls

Unazukin - Japanese toy

However, our nesting doll is just over a hundred years old. As a folk craft, the nesting doll is young, but its origin is shrouded in mystery. The exact time of manufacture of the first nesting doll and the historical background are unknown. Questions arise about the authorship of the first nesting doll and its name.

History of Matryoshka

Many researchers adhere to the version of the origin of the nesting doll from a Japanese folding toy that depicted one of the seven Japanese gods of luck - Fukuruma (Fukurokuju, Fukurokuju) - the god of learning and wisdom. But the problem is that the Japanese do not have such a toy, as well as the word “fukurumu” itself.

There is a legend from the 15th century, according to which seven Chinese sages moved to Japan on a treasure ship. Among them was the sage Fukuroju (Fukurokuju). In Japan, he is considered the god of wisdom, academic career, intuition and longevity. Fukuroju is a synthesized image of the three Chinese star elders Fuk, Luk and Sau (Fu, Lu and Shou), therefore it has another name Shou - Xing.

The image of Fukuroju, most often painted or sculpted (netsuke), was distinguished by his head stretched upward, which testified to his wisdom. A folding toy of this god, especially a popular one, most likely simply did not exist. In any case, it is very difficult to find material on the Japanese folding doll.

Some Russian and Japanese researchers consider the very popular Daruma doll in Japan to be the prototype of the matryoshka doll. The appearance of daruma figurines dates back to the 12th-14th centuries. This doll has a pronounced religious, cult and even magical meaning. Its peculiarity is the presence of empty eye sockets.

When buying such a doll before the New Year and making a wish, the Japanese draw one eye on it and leave it for a year. If the wish comes true, a second eye is painted on her; if it doesn’t come true, she is taken back to the temple where she was bought. The dolls collected in this way are subsequently burned, but this ritual is not revenge on the doll, but a symbol of the search for new ways to implement the plan.

The Daruma doll acquired its familiar form approximately 200 years ago. It is often performed in the form of a tumbler doll, painted red to scare away smallpox demons, yellow, green and white. By the way, it is also considered the prototype of the Russian tumbler, which appeared in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century. Perhaps Daruma inspired Russian craftsmen to create the tumbler doll, but the nesting dolls... It’s very doubtful.

Traditional and very popular in Japan is the Kokeshi doll, which could also be the prototype of our matryoshka doll.

If a Japanese family had a stillborn daughter or died before the age of three, they simply buried her and made a Kokeshi doll in her memory. Therefore, the doll depicts only girls and has a cylindrical base with a moving round head. Kokeshi acquired the status of a kind of souvenir approximately 200 years ago.

What brings Kokeshi closer to the matryoshka doll? Both Kokeshi and matryoshka dolls are made of wood and decorated with paintings. But the design and internal contents of the dolls are different. Therefore, it is unlikely that Kokeshi has anything to do with the nesting doll.

There is one more point that, in my opinion, should be noted. For almost the entire Edo period* (1603 - 1868), Japan pursued a sakoku policy, that is, the country did not trade or communicate with other countries except China and Holland, with which relations, presumably, were also limited. It is unlikely that dolls of ritual significance, like Darumu or Kokeshi, were exported in large quantities at this time.

*During the Edo period, the formation of the Japanese spirit, the emergence of the national Japanese idea, and the development of the economy and bureaucracy took place. The Edo period is the golden age of literature and Japanese poetry.

Dolls play an important role in Japanese culture. Japanese craftsmen have created wonderful examples of dolls made of paper, fabric, clay, wood and other materials. Three-dimensional Japanese toys have existed for more than 1,500 years, but the doll in the form of a matryoshka appeared only at the end of the 19th century. At the end of the 19th century, the Russian matryoshka was born.

If there was a Japanese doll that served as the prototype for the matryoshka doll, why is it missing from traditional Japanese doll exhibitions?

The first matryoshka

It is believed that the first nesting doll was carved by the Russian turner V.P. Zvezdochkin, and painted with gouache by the artist Sergei Malyutin. And although the artist’s authorship is questioned in some sources due to the lack of preliminary sketches, he could have painted the toy impromptu.

Nesting products, including eggs, began to be produced at the resort of Hakone in Japan around the middle of the 19th century (1844).

But in Russian culture the principle of investment has been used for a long time. Russian craftsmen sharpened nested Easter eggs, apples, balls, and buckets. In 1664, Prokopiy Ivanov was given the order to paint 170 Easter eggs. In the 18th-19th centuries, painting Easter eggs became widespread. In 1874, the Tyulin brothers, icon painters from Mstera, made Easter eggs to greet high-ranking persons. Each egg was carved from wood and consisted of two halves. The egg was elegant and light.

It must be said that wooden toys in Rus' were always made with great love. According to archaeological data, the existence of toys is known already in the 9th century.

In 1721, various toys were purchased for the children of Peter I, including three wooden children and a whole town with soldiers. We learn all this from the records of palace expenses.

The variety of toys and the creative imagination of their authors is amazing. In Russia there were a variety of wooden dolls: ladies, hussars, children, parsleys, clowns, soldiers, etc., not to mention images of animals. Handicraft toy production reached its greatest prosperity in the middle of the 19th century.

One can only be surprised by the abundance of not only wooden, but also other toys: “babies”, “blinkers”, “sailors”, “coaches”, “diapers”, “skeletons”, “waists”.

Moreover, many of them were mechanical. What kind of mechanisms were used to bring the toy to life? In addition, at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries, a broad social movement developed for the preservation of national culture, which began to gradually lose its position under the onslaught of factory products. New forms of traditional products were sought.

But let's return to the nesting doll. If we compare the historical versions of the origin of tumblers and nesting dolls, we get the following picture. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Daruma doll was brought to Russia and, on its basis, Russian craftsmen composed Vanka - a stand-up doll.

At the end of the 19th century, the Fukuruma doll was brought in and Russian craftsmen finally figured out that instead of a folding wooden egg or apple, they could make a wooden folding doll. The question arises. Having a long and rich experience in making chiseled, carved, intricate mechanical wooden toys, the Russian man could not reach the matryoshka doll with his own mind? Let me note that neither the idea of ​​nesting, nor the idea of ​​making dolls from wood, nor the shape of the nesting doll, which overall resembles an egg, were new to him. In addition, there is no direct evidence that these dolls were borrowed from Japanese models.

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