$275.00

(Only 1 available, buy it now!)

Number of dolls: 5
Artist: Abaeva
School: Simbirsk
Size: 5''

A unique example of handicraft, this set of Russian matrioshka dolls is hand crafted and painted to tell a wonderful winter story with a sad yet hopeful ending.

Each Russian matrioshka doll features a scene from the fairy tale "The Snow Maiden" ("Snegurochka"). The girl pictured in the first Russian matrioshka doll is named Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden, as she had been made from snow by an old couple who had no children of their own. The girl appeared to be very beautiful and sweet, but as spring came, Snegurochka grew pensive as portrayed in the second Russian matrioshka doll.  Her friends, the girls from the same village, decided to cheer up the Snow Maiden and invited her to the forest to pick flowers. As it grew darker, the girls made a fire and started jumping over it; Snegurochka followed them and suddenly melted away turning into a white cloud shown in the smallest Russian matrioshka doll.

The story presented in these Russian matrioshka dolls, despite its sad ending, is filled with hope symbolizing the end of winter and arrival of summer. The lovely Snow Maiden, painted in different shades of blue to remind of her "snowy" origin, shines with vibrant cobalt, cornflower, and royal blue sparkles in the biggest Russian matrioshka doll, while the rest of the set is painted in emerald and forest green hues to emphasize resurrection and the beginning of new life.

This set of Russian matrioshka dolls, personally selected from the artists that we have worked with for many years, will make a wonderful gift for Christmas, Easter, or St. Valentines to celebrate the light and hopefulness.