The real deal

Matryoshka doll, 1965 Image © Karen Thiessen 2011

Above are images of the "real deal"-- the Matryoshka doll or Russian nesting doll that belongs to my mom that I wrote about in a previous post. She is mother to five girls and was made in 1965 in the Semionovo style. The eggplant-coloured dress is unusual; mostly I see them in red. The five daughters wear red dresses. This doll is faded from sitting on a plate rail opposite a south-facing window. Apparently the Semionovo dolls are painted with aniline dyes. Almost anything can fade in direct sunlight, so this is an example of what can happen to artwork, furniture, and other collectibles.


This Matryoshka has long been part of my imagination, so I'm delighted that designers brought her into the present with measuring cups, pillows, tea towels, plates, and more. Atelier LZC printed some great Russian doll inspired tea towels in 2007 that are sadly no longer available. It seems that 2007 was the year of the Matryoshka in the design world.