Show all images on one page	#002520 Title: Old russian town Arzamas Artist: Mikhaleov Yuriy Size: 15x8.5x5 Size (inches): 6x3.25x2 Price : $1950 SOLD!

This original box has been painted by Yuriy Mikhalyov from the village of Fedoskino. Most of all this talented artist likes to depict architecture. He has created the series of works dedicated the picturesque views of St.-Petersburg, and now he works on a new interesting theme depicting the ancient towns of Russia.
On this box he has painted the city of Arzamas situated in the Nizhny Novgorod Region on the Tesha River, 300 km east of Moscow. Arzamas was founded in 1578 by Ivan the Terrible in the lands populated at the time by the Mordvin people. By 1737 more than 7000 people lived in Arzamas and the town became a major transit center on the route from Moscow to eastern parts of Russia. It was known for its geese and onions as well as leather crafts. Catherine the Great in 1781 gave Arzamas an official city status and its own coat of arms based on the colors of the Arzamas regiment. In the early 19th century Arzamas had over twenty churches and cathedrals, the foremost being the Resurrection Cathedral. It was built in the Empire style to commemorate the Russian victory over Napoleon in 1812. Alexander Stupin art school was located in Arzamas between 1802 and 1862 and many famous Russian artists studied there, including Vasily Perov.
The scene is painted in soft blue tones against the white background. Gold paint is used to highlight the sky. White lacquer that tones with the whole palette of scene covers the box's exterior; the interior is traditionally red.
It is necessary to place high emphasis on the box's original ornamentation. It is so skillfully made and elegantly designed that it even may attract your attention before starting to contemplate this brilliantly painted scene. It includes silver lines of various width and form (they are straight, or organize rays that come from the central point, or they form ovals or rectangles); and also metallic silver punch-outs in the form of tiny triangles and round beads (these are hand punched from metal sheets and then painstakingly affixed by hand to the box).
The box is constructed from quality paper-mache. The lid is hinged at the top. Signed, titled ("The Center of Arzamas City"), and dated (2006) by the artist at the bottom of the scene.