Show all images on one page	#005989 Title: Russian Beauty Artist: Danchenko Taisiya Size: 9x12x4.5 Size (inches): 3.5x4.75x1.75 Price : $450 SOLD!

Simple in its design but exquisite in its implementation, this portrait of a Russian girl is an incredible miniature. Taisiya Danchenko has combined brilliant skill with oil paints in shading, coloring, texturing, and 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. The merchants became a separate class in 18th and especially 19th century Russia. They were not of noble birth, but many had much more monetary wealth than those of the nobility. Perhaps, the girl is going to have a rendezvous with a handsome lad. Her festive clothes, the jewels that she tries on, may confirm this supposition.
The artist used just the right techniques to create a stunning portrait. The girl's face is exactly proportionate. Despite her serious expression, her large brown eyes and rosy cheeks reveal an amiable personality. Shadows fall in all the right places, the folds of her dress are precise but natural, and the different materials are given different textures. The girl is wearing a kokoshnik, or traditional headdress; and also a traditional white shirt underneath her sarafan, which is the sleeveless dress. Both practical and decorative, the traditional costume is very unique to Russian culture.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the box while red lacquer completes the interior of the work. The sides of the box are adorned with intricate gold patterns. The lid is hinged to the left of the composition, and the box flat. A small piece of mother-of-pearl with initials of an author can be found on the interior of the lid. The box is signed with the artist's name, village and the name of the work on the exterior of the base.