Show all images on one page	#001901 Title: Bride Artist: Zayakin Alexander Size: 9.5x7.5x3.5 Size (inches): 3.75x3x1.25 Price : $475 SOLD!

Simple in its design but exquisite in its implementation, this portrait of a Russian girl is an incredible miniature! Alexander Zaykin has combined brilliant skill with oil paints in shading, coloring, texturing, with a gift for realism, and delicate decoration. This piece is truly a work of art, from top to bottom!
The girl pictured here is the daughter of a merchant. She has just recently been wed, and wears the feast attire of a bride. The Russian traditional headdress "kokoshnik" is on her head. It is a common wedding ensemble found in the late 19th Century. These kokoshniks were very ornamental and were originally to be worn only by married women.
The artist uses a palette that gives the pure representations of the human form. Light skin-tone paints are used to paint the hands and face, which bring about an advanced realism. The decorated wedding dress is given a formal appeal with its complex patterns and intricate designs. Her kokoshnik also reflects the complexity of her dress, which is decorated with ornate patterns of beads that would've been sown into the cloth. Both the kokoshnik and the ornaments on the dress are highlighted with gold dust. The portrait is painted against the beautiful blue-crimson background.
The exterior of the box with reddish-brown paints, while the interior is traditionally red. The composition is framed with elegant gold ornamentation. The sides of the box are decorated with more complex gold designs accented with dark crimson oils. The lid is hinged from the left side of the composition, and the box sits flat. The painting is signed by the artist. Beauty at its finest!