Description:
Natalya Latsuk is the talented Palekh artist who likes to experiment and find new approaches to the established traditions in the word of lacquer art. Her creativity exceeds the bounds of Palekh traditional style; that is why it is difficult to refer this work to the Palekh School at first sight; it looks more like a product of Fedoskino School.
The scene depicted here can be called both philosophic and humorous. It features the cat walking leisurely along the meadow. The cat's spirit hovers above the cat like a cloud and follows any direction this animal chooses. May be working on this box, the artist thought over the Indian religion and its position that all animals have a soul.
The scene is painted over the large piece of mother-of-pearl and shines like a diamond. Gold metal hoop frames the scene as an original ornamentation. The box's exterior is covered with black lacquer mixed with gold dust; its interior is covered with dark green velvety material.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. The lid is hinged from the top of the scene, and the box rests on four rounded gold metal legs. The box can be locked by means of a special device that can be compared with a gold needle. The work is signed with the artist's name, the year of 2006, and the village of Palekh.
