Description:
The exceptional talent of Vera Smirnova is used to paint this composition. As a Palekh artist she has excelled in breaking creative ground for herself and the village. She works with expression and emotion, then couples her fantastic skills to create breathtaking lacquer art.
The box depicts a scene from the popular Russian fairy-tale “Princess Frog”. Here the artist has painted the proudest moment experienced by Prince Ivan. The three brothers are invited to a large feast, and each of them is told to bring his wife. Everyone makes fun of poor Ivan who has come alone. It lasts until the gorgeous Vasilisa the Wise and Clever appears! Here, she creates a miniature lake full of swans with just one nonchalant wave of her hand.
Light green and blue tones dominate the composition. The clothing of the characters contains intense texture because of the elaborate gold contours. Gold metal leaf inlay shines through the costumes of almost each character painted on the scene.
The box is constructed from papier-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the box while red lacquer completes the interior. The box's sides a re adorned with elaborate gold leafy patterns. A hinge is fastened to the left of the composition, and the box rests on four legs. The work is signed with the artist's name, Palekh and the year of 2009.
