Description:
This masterfully painted box is the creation of the talented Palekh artist Galina Zykova.
We must let you know that this is a great opportunity to get one of the boxes that was mentioned in a catalog. And this box is one of them!!! This box is represented in a catalog which is available for sale on our site. Actually this is a set of a Catalog and a Book, called "Russian Lacquer Miniature: Origin and Contemporaneity" printed out by Publishers House Yantarniy Skaz in 2003 and text was written by Ludmila Pirogova. Catalog is dedicated to the Expo which took a place in 2003 in Russian Museum of Folk and Applied Art in Moscow at Delegatskaya Street.
The box of Zykova is represented in a section of "The Diploma Works of the Palekh Art School". On the photos you can see that Catalog as well as the Book
and some of the pages where this box was mentioned. The photo of this book you can see on page 85 of this catalog (position #121) and the info about Galina Zykova is written on a page 63 of the same catalog.
Don't miss a chance to get a rare box from a catalog!!!
The theme of this composition is the world-famous love story "Eugene Onegin" written by the Great Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin. The plot of this story is romantic on the one hand, and tragic on the other hand. The man of fashion Eugene Onegin, getting tired with high society and noisy balls, departs to a small village. There he becomes acquainted with two young sisters, Tatyana and Olga, and the young poet Lensky who is the suitor of Olga. Tatyana passionately loves Onegin and makes a declaration of her love, but Onegin doesn't take her feeling seriously and refuses her. Tatyana suffers and can't forget Onegin. Once at a party arranged in honor of Tatiana's name day Onegin flirts with Olga arousing jealousy of her suitor Lensky. In a fit of anger Lenski challenges Onegin to a duel. Onegin kills Lenski and disappears from Tatyana's life, and appears again when Tatyana is the woman of fashion and the wife of a rich general. Now Onegin passionately loves Tatyana and suffers from this love. (the short version of this story you can read on our website).
The composition shows several scenes from this breathtaking story. In the middle of the composition we can see the party arranged in honor of Tatiana's name day. Onegin dances with Tatyana, while Lensky recites poetry to his sweetheart Olga. To the right from this scene the friends, Lensky and Onegin, stroll and talk on philosophic themes. In the right upper corner there is the scene showing the duel of Onegin and Lensky.
Everything here is smoothly applied. The colors glide upon the surface of the box. A variety of oranges, greens and soothing blues dictate the romantic feel of the composition. Gold and aluminum are used with great intricacy and delicacy to develop the finer elements in the scene. Zykova paints with excellent detail here, combining a great deal into a small space without losing any clarity.
The lid's artistry is framed with flawless golden scrollwork. The decoration of the sides is very attractive. Large expanses of tightly configured golden leaves roll extend among bright aluminum wild flowers as one singular band of beauty. The box is made of high-quality paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the piece while red lacquer completes the interior of the box. The lid is hinged from the top of the composition. The box rests on four legs. The box is signed with the artist's name, village, title and year (1999).
The box is in a great condition and not was in use!
