Show all images on one page	#001077 Title: Snowmaiden Artist: Smirnova S. Size: 10.5x12x5.5 Price : $245 SOLD!

This beautiful box showing a scene from the popular fairy-tale "The Snow Maiden" or "Snegurochka" was painted by Fedoskino artist S. Smirnova. One day, a childless old couple decided to make a girl from snow, and were amazed when she came to life. Snowmaiden grew to be beautiful. Her eyes gleamed bright blue and her flaxen hair hung down to her waist. Snowmaiden was however very pale, with no color in her cheeks or lips, but this did not make her any less beautiful. As winter melted into spring, and the weather started getting warmer, Snowmaiden started to behave strangely. She no longer wanted to go outside to play with the other children, and she began to hide in the dark places of the house. One summer day she went into the woods with her friends to pick berries. When nightfall came, her friends built a fire, and played games jumping over it. Snow Maiden decided to join their games. "Jump over the fire!" her friends yelled at her. Snowmaiden took a step, ran towards the fire, jumped, and melted away.
The scene shows the moment of the story when the old couple understood that their girl made of snow came to life. It is mostly painted in silvery tones against the black background that fit perfectly for the depiction of a winter night. Aluminum powder is used to create the glitter of silvery bluish snow. The figures of characters are painted in bright brown, red and blue paints to focus the viewer's attention on them. The drawing is well-done throughout. The characters all have pleasant faces; their costumes are finely detailed. The old man and his wife look slightly surprised; their emotions are expressed by means of their body language. The landscape is naturally drawn including snow-covered trees, firs, bushes and the cozy wooden house.
The work is unpretentious and very appealing. The elegant gold snowflake ornament surrounds the sides of the box. The box is made out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The Fedoskino "troika" insignia can be found on the interior of the lid. The lid is hinged from the left of the composition and the box rests on a flat bottom. Signed with the name of the artist, village and year (1998).