A Unique Nesting Doll - Russian Churches Pyrography

Pyrography or pyrogravure is the art of decorating wood with burn marks from an artist's application of a heated object such as a poker. It is also known as poker-work or wood burning.

When the Russian artist wood-burned this Russian wooden nesting doll, she/he put a lot of tiny details and ultimately created a wonderfully textured piece of artwork. All but the smallest doll features an old Russian church and poker-worked lettering. Every doll in this set has gold-leaf cross accents. It's a truly exquisite doll to look at.


Below is a list of the churches featured on this doll (In order from largest to smallest):

1. Saint Basil's Cathedral

The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (Храм Василия Блаженного Покровский Собор). Most know it as Saint Basil's; the multi-colored domed church in Red Square, Moscow. This 16th-century former cathedral now contains a museum of the church.

On the back of the doll is written: Moscow (Москва)

2. Cathedral of the Assumption

Cathedral of the Assumption or Cathedral of the Dormition (Успенский Собор - Uspenski Sobor) is the oldest and largest church in Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin in Russia. It was commissioned by Ivan the Great to be the main church of Moscow and was built between 1475 and 1479.

3. Gate Church of the Transfiguration

Transfiguration Gate-Church (Преображенская надвратная церковь), built in the north wall of Novodevichy Convent (Новодевичий Монастырь - New Maidens Monastery) between 1687 and 1689, and is a part of Novodevichy Convent in Moscow, Russia.

4. Trinity Cathedral - Троицкий собор

Trinity Cathedral (Троицкий Собор - Troitsky Sobor), built in the 1420s, is a heart of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, monastery and in its way the heart of Russian Orthodoxy. Among the treasures of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, is the famous icon “The Trinity” by Andrei Rublev. Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is located in Sergiyev Posad, Moscow region, Russia.

5. Ivan the Great Bell Tower

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower (Колокольня Ивана Великого) is the tallest of the towers in the Moscow Kremlin complex, with a total height of 81 metres. It was built in 1508 for the Russian Orthodox cathedrals in Cathedral Square in the center of the Moscow Kremlin.

6. Spasskaya Tower

The Spasskaya Tower (Спасская Башня) is the main tower with a through-passage on the eastern wall of the Moscow Kremlin, which overlooks the Red Square. It was built in 1491.

7. Troitskaya Tower of Kremlin

The Troitskaya Tower (Троицкая Башня) is the tallest tower of the Moscow Kremlin. Its current height on the side of the Alexander Garden together with the star is 26 feet. Today, the gate of the tower is the main visitors' entrance into the Kremlin. The Troitskaya Tower was built in 1495-1499.

8. The Church of the Holy Spirit

The single domed Church of The Holy Spirit (Духовская Церьковь - Dukhovskaya Church) is located inside of Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Sergiyev Posad, Moscow region, Russia. It was built in 1477.

9. The Chapel of the Pyatnitsky Well

The Chapel of the Pyatnitsky Well (Пятницкий Колодец) is located in Trinity Lavra of St Sergius, Sergiyev Posad, Moscow region, Russia, and dates back to the end of the 17th century.

This hand-made Russian nesting doll is available at The Russian Store, direct link: http://goo.gl/0stLsF Link to all wood-burned Russian crafts: http://goo.gl/cdjb0X