Show all images on one page	#005345 Title: Solokha/Witch Artist: Kovrova N. Size: 10x13x2 Size (inches): 4x5x0.75 Price : $395 SOLD!

This splendid piece of Russian artistry was painted by N. Kovrova from the village of Fedoskino. It shows a scene from N.V. Gogol's literary work “The night before Christmas”. This work was included into the famous book of collected stories called “The Evenings in the Village situated not far from Dikanka” written by the same writer. This book was created in the beginning of the nineteenth century and at once became the best seller. It was composed of mystical fairy-tales and horror stories written in the folk style.
“The night before Christmas” is a Christmas fairy-tale. It tells about the adventures of the smith whose name is Vakula on the eve of Christmas. The box shows one of the main characters of the tale named Solokha. She is Vakula's mother, and a witch. She is very beautiful, and has many admirers. Once Solokha is with the devil in her home, when someone knocks at the door. To hide the truth, she puts the devil in a sack. Then the story repeats and Solokha hides in the same sack several Cossacks beginning with the demon.
The scene is nicely painted and in a vivid way reflects the plot of the story. Brown tones of oils predominate here as the action takes place in the peasant's hut. Gold metal leaf produces a magic sparkle of the crescent and helps to decorate Solokha's costume. Gold and silver powders shine beautifully through the oils enriching the palette and giving it festiveness.
The box is beautifully decorated. Its exterior is covered with black lacquer, and studded with very bright and festive gold veins and spots to imitate a stone color. The interior is traditionally covered with red lacquer.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. The lid is hinged from the left of the composition and the box rests on a flat bottom. The work is signed with the artist's name and the title (“Solokha”).