Show all images on one page	#001980 Title: The Scarlet Flower Artist: Galda Nikolay Size: 6.5x6.5x3 Size (inches): 2.5x2.5x1.25 Price : $375 SOLD!

Here, Kholui master Nikolay Galda presents charm, tradition and beauty all in the same package. A package that is an intense depiction on the smallest stage. Russian lacquer miniature artistry that is purely inventive.
The box depicts a scene from the popular Russian fairy-tale "The Scarlet Flower", written by S.T. Aksakov. The tale is very similar to what we know today as "Beauty and the Beast." This thrilling tale tells about love of a beautiful girl and a horrible beast that afterwards will turn into a handsome prince.
The composition shows the merchant who has just come back from his trade trip and brought his daughters the presents. While the merchant (he is depicted in the right part of the scene) is feasting and telling stories about faraway countries, his older sisters are trying on their new expensive clothes and jewels (they are depicted in the left part of the composition). Merchant's youngest daughter is painted in the center of the composition holding her desirable present - the magic scarlet flower. This beautiful flower the merchant has stolen from the garden of the ugly monster. Being caught by the monster (we can see this episode in the background), the merchant has become the monster's eternal captive. His only wish has been to say good-bye to his dear daughters and relatives, and then he has been obliged to return to the monster's kingdom. The merchant's old daughters are very happy to get the presents, and only the youngest one notices that her father is very sad. When she finds out the truth, she decides to become the monster's captive instead of her father.
A full setting and a full assembly of characters have been condensed almost magically by the hand of Galda. The intricacy within the structures, characters and landscape is a joy to behold. The folds in the clothing, the curves of the buildings and the texture of the grass and trees. Spectacular work here. The colors are kept dark to enhance the medieval nature of the scene. Gold paint is used to outline and highlight areas of emphasis in the scene. This is done with subtlety and an eye for artistic integrity.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the piece while a radiant red lacquer completes the interior of the box. Crown-like scrollwork painted in gold and aluminum wraps around the box's sides. The lid isn't hinged and the box rests on three legs. The work is signed, and titled by the artist in gold paints under the composition. The similar inscription is also added to the interior of the lid in gold paint. It displays this as an author's original design, the title of the story, the artist's name, the village name of Kholuy and the year of 2004 of which the piece was finished.