Show all images on one page	#005356 Title: Kikimora Artist: Maslov Vlad Size: 16x12x2.5 Size (inches): 6.25x4.75x1 Price : $1450 SOLD!

This festive Fedokino box is an original master work of Vlad Maslov. Vlad is enchanted with the Russian folklore, and likes to paint his works on the themes of Russian fairy-tales and legends. Forest spirits is his favorite theme to depict. He has created such brilliant works as “Baba-Yaga”, “the Water Spirit”, “the Wood Spirit”, “Forest Man” and many others. This box continues Maslov's favorite theme and shows a spirit and a character of some Russian tales known as ‘kikimora'.
Kikimora is a female house spirit in Slavic mythology, sometimes said to be married to the Domovoi. Kikimoras are said to be the spirits of unbaptized children or of aborted fetuses. In one legend, all of the kikimoras created by a woman's abortions come when the woman dies and take her soul to hell. She usually lives behind the stove or in the cellar of the house where she haunts. Kikimora can also be found in a swamp or a forest. Kikimora usually disturbs domestic animal and birds especially hens and chicken. She also comes out at night to spin. This box depicts the swamp kikimora sitting inside the boat together with another spirit named leshiy.
The box demonstrates Maslov's impeccable style. Blue and brown tones of oils predominate here. The most of the elements of the composition as the boat, the characters' costumes and the plants are detailed with bright gold paint. Gold and silver powders are mixed with the oils to enrich to color palette. The blades of grass that can be found in the foreground are crafted three-dimensionally being painted over the twinkling pieces of mother-of-pearl. These blades of grass can be also found on the box's sides. Pearl beads are clued to some areas of the composition to imitate the morning dew. The composition is also decorated with shimmering green and blue spangles.
A wide band laid with brilliant pieces of mother-of-pearl is running along the box's sides. The sides are also adorned with the blades of grass painted over mother-of-pearl and whimsical patterns. The box's exterior is covered with gold powder mixed with red, green and turquoise oils forming together a single pattern.
The box is made out of paper-mache. The lid is hinged from the top of the scene, and the box rests on four pearl beads glued to the box's exterior bottom. The interior of the box is covered with red lacquer. On the lid's interior the artist has painted a fallen leave. A square piece of mother-of-pearl is glued to this leave; on this piece Maslov has written his name and the title of the work (“Kikimora”). The fallen leave is also painted on the box's interior bottom. This leave is decorated with a pearl bead that imitates the morning dew.