Show all images on one page	#002024 Title: Maple Artist: Knyazev Sergey Size: 16.5x9x3 Size (inches): 6.5x3.5x1.25 Price : $895 SOLD!

This romantic scene has been painted by Sergey Knyazev from the village of Fedoskino. It's early autumn. Peasants have already gathered hay. The grass is still green, but the trees are covered with bright red, orange and yellow leaves. The loving couple strolls through the grove admiring the beautiful landscape. The lad looks tenderly at his girl friend, and presents her a twig of mountain ash, saying the words of love.
The palette is based on beautiful combinations of contrast warm pink, orange and cold green, blue tones. Gold metal leaf together with gold powder produces radiance of the maple foliage depicted at the top of the composition and the haystacks scattered on the field. Mother-of-pearl intensifies brightness of the sunset in the blue sky creating beautiful gradations of tones. Gold paint is used to detail the costumes of the characters and outline the plants depicted in the foreground. The field area is painted over a layer of aluminum powder that intensifies the colors.
The artist makes fine use of the overlay method of application. At first she paints the landscape, and then covers this painting with translucent lacquer; afterwards she paints the figures of the characters, and again applies a layer of translucent lacquer; the last step is to detail the landscape, and the characters, for instance, to paint the wreath on the girl's head and the twigs of mountain ash. This procedure helps the artist to develop texture and three-dimensional features throughout. A magnificent effect!
The box is constructed from quality paper-mache. The interior of the box is covered with red lacquer; the box's exterior is covered with black lacquer. The scene is framed with gold line. A hinge is fastened to the top of the lid. The box rests flat without feet. The work is signed, dated (2005), and titled ("Maple") by the artist on the lid's interior in gold paints.