Show all images on one page	#001612 Title: Scarlet flower Artist: Balabanova Nataliya Ivanovna Size: 10.5x5.5x3 Size (inches): 4x2.25x1 Price : $220 SOLD!

This traditional Fedoskino box was painted by N. Balabanova. It depicts a scene from the Russian fairy "Scarlet Flower" written by S. Aksakov. The tale is very similar to what we know today as "Beauty and the Beast." A beautiful girl is trapped inside a beast's home, because she has no choice, and the beast is afraid to show himself due to his appearance. They live in fear of not being loved by the other, until the curse is lifted at the end of the tale and the beast turns out to be a handsome prince.
The image is a classic one showing the main heroine of the tale holding the most beautiful flower in the world in her hands. This scene is painted over aluminum powder. It creates brilliance of the girl's dress and the ground beneath her feet. Lustrous gold paint is used to decorate the girl's sarafan, her head-dress, the scarlet flower and the golden light emanating from it.
The box is made out of paper-mache from Fedoskino. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The box's sides are decorated with intricate gold patterns. The box has a hinge to its left and rests on a flat bottom. The Fedoskino Factory "troika" insignia can be found on the interior of the lid. The box is signed with the artist's name and the village of Fedoskino.