Show all images on one page	#001665 Title: Winter troika Artist: Devyatkin Sergey Size: 15x10x4.5 Size (inches): 6x4x1.75 Price : $395 SOLD!

Sergei Deviatkin, an extremely skilled Kholuy artist, has created this masterful work. He held the position of "Head Artist" in the Kholuy factory for some time, stepping down due to the high demands on his time. Born in 1961, this talented artist made his mark early in the world of Russian lacquer miniature. His distinctive trademark is the exquisite gold filigree that adorns most of his boxes. Unique décor that can only come from his mind. Combining that with a skill for painting dynamic compositions, Deviatkin's talent has earned him the honor of having many of his pieces displayed in museums throughout Russia and prized by collectors throughout the world.
This traditional Russian scene features a troika (a carriage or sled pulled by three horses, with troika meaning three) racing across the snow in mid-winter. The wonderful horses tear along through the snow, across the snow-covered countryside, pulling the sleds with a driver and a couple wrapped in warm clothes. One can almost feel the frost of a winter day across the face when looking at this piece. It seems that the horses are moving very fast and the driver only wants to go faster.
Deviatkin's style is free, confident and dynamic; he paints with fluid and even strokes. The fantastically beautiful horses with their slender legs and swan-like necks seem to be flying. Their undulating tails and healthy manes stream in the wind and snowflakes whirl and fly everywhere.
The horses are painted in traditional yellowish tones whereas the snow is painted in subtle shades of bluish-green. The central image of the troika and the horses is painted with warm colors, which acts as a contrast to the cold setting of the winter scene. Swirling and circling white and green paint surrounds the troika give the painting movement and life. The sled is beautifully decorated with metallic gold and silver curls. The artist also pays particularly close attention to the faces of the characters - their features are expressive and nicely drawn.
What makes Deviatkin's work even more special is the gold filigree he so masterfully paints on his boxes. As decoration the artist uses wonderful curling patterns painted in gold connected with precise and detailed scrollwork. The design is neat, thin, and complex. The talent here is fiction-like. Intricacy beyond compare. Very similar filigree is found wrapping around the sides of the box.
The box is constructed out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The lid isn't hinged, and the box sits flat. The work is signed with the artist's name, the title ("Troika") and the village of Kholui.