Matryoshka dolls from Polkhovsky Maidan (and the neighboring villages of Krutets and Gorodets) appeal to the connoisseur of older Russian folk art. These three villages are located in the region of Nizhni Novgorod, not far from the towns of Sergiev-Posad and Semenov, all centers of folk art in their own right. Production methods are similar to dolls from Semenov and Viatka (now Kirov). Peasant styles, such as bold colors and large flowers, are predominant and water-soluble aniline dyes and India ink are used. Besides the traditional colors of yellow and red, the artists would use green, blue, violet, orange and crimson, The dog-rose with its many petals is commonly painted as it symbolizes motherhood and love. Below are some unusual folk dolls made in the Soviet Union (pre-1991) and Russia (post-1991). Note: any hair colors or descriptions generally refer to the first doll.