Russian Dolls

As a farewell gift to one of my colleagues and to celebrate their PhD, I painted a set of matryoshka's, otherwise known as nesting dolls or Russian dolls. Each of the dolls has a little picture to commemorate a memory of small little Belgium (the country where we both did our PhD).

There are 6 dolls, so let me explain what is painted on each of them:

1. The city of Ghent. This is the city where we studied and obtained our PhD. The view is that of the central canal with the clock tower rising up above the buildings.

2. Bruges, a very picturesque and small city which was a personal favorite of my colleague. It is also nicknamed "the Venice of the North" due to its many canals.

3. Brussels, a city that was not liked that much, but I couldn't leave out the capital and its iconic "atomium".

4. Oostende, a city near the sea where my colleague often went during weekends to go watch the water. Originally from the middle of Russia, the Belgian coast was a completely different view which had to be enjoyed.

5. Leffe, the favorite Belgian beer of my colleague. Belgium is famous for its beer, but everyone has their own preference and taste. This is a small visual reminder to that fantastic taste.

6. The Belgian flag. This doll was too small to paint anything other than a simple flag, but these three colors signify the chocolates, pastries, waffles, and all good times the country had to offer.