Background:

Matrioshka… Fukuruma… and Fukurokuju…
The story of the old Japanese talismans

Matrioshka, also known as Babushka, are egg-shaped Russian dolls, made of wood and painted in bright colours, which can be nested one into the other. They are attributed talisman qualities and are said to bring luck to their owners. They make an excellent toy for training cognitive intelligence in children and have long been a popular souvenir. They are as Russian as caviar and vodka.

That’s why many people think that the history of matrioshkas goes back many centuries. That’s not true! Matroshkas are only about a hundred years old and in fact do not originate in Russia.

The carved wooden dolls are descendants of the simply fashioned Japanese Fukuruma which were supposed to be a likeness of the god Fukurokuju and which consisted of five nested dolls. One of the seven gods of good fortune, Fukurokuju is worshipped in Japan and China as the symbol of wisdom, happiness and a long life – fuku means happiness, roku wealth and ju long life.

Fukurokuju is depicted as a man with a high forehead holding a stick on which scrolls are hung. He is accompanied by a turtle (symbol of long life) and a stork (symbol of wisdom).

It is not known how exactly the dolls came to Russia. The first matrioshkas were produced at the end of the 19th century in Moscow and were very expensive. After the World Expo in Paris in 1900 the whole world was enchanted with the lovingly made works of art.

In addition to the female dolls symbolising fertility and motherliness, there were also male versions which usually symbolised warrior prowess and strength.
Nowadays the predominantly female figures are made starting with the smallest doll. The next biggest doll is turned to fit the one before. But the real art lies in the painting of the dolls. The more high-quality a set of matrioshkas is the less easy it is to distinguish the big dolls from the small ones.