It takes a tremendous amount of skill and patience to make a Russian nesting doll. Contrary to popular belief, the dolls is made from two separate pieces of wood--not a single piece which is cut in half and then hollowed out.

As you might imagine, lathing two separate pieces of wood so they fit perfectly inside each other is no easy task. The men who perform this task are truly specialists, and young men apprentice for many years before they are entrusted with producing doll "blanks."

These blanks are then handpainted by a team of unbelievably talented women.

And it is always women who do the painting (men, we are told, don't have the patience required).
The women have the steady hands and artistic talents required to make these beautiful nested dolls.

VIDEO: See the women paint these beautiful dolls (click here)