Show all images on one page	#002110 Title: Fire Steel Artist: Poturayko Larisa Size: 12x10x2.5 Size (inches): 4.75x4x1 Price : $1100 SOLD!

Larisa Poturayko is one of Kholuy's most gifted artists. Her style over the years has developed into a mature and precise blend of learned techniques and natural talent. Her hand has the steadiness of a surgeon's and her artistic decisions are made based on what is best for the painting within the context of the theme.
The box features the tale entitled, "Fire Steel," and written by Hans Christian Andersen. This story tells about the soldier who happened to find out the secret of the magic fire steel. Once he met the old witch who asked him to penetrate into the hollow of the tree and bring her the fire steel. For this service she opened him the secret that at the bottom of the hollow there are three chests filled with gold, silver and copper coins. These chests were guarded by three huge dogs. He could take as much money as he wanted but he had to fetch the fire steel for the old witch. The soldier successfully penetrated in the hollow of the tree, filled his pockets with gold coins, took the fire steel and climbed out of the hollow. He deceived the witch and didn't give her the fire steel she asked him to fetch. Later he found out the secret of this fire steel. Every time when he wanted to strike match with the help of the magic fire steel one of three dogs that he met at the bottom of the hollow came to him and was ready to fulfill any of his wishes. In the end of the story the soldier married the Princess and became the ruler of the kingdom with the help of the magic fire steel.
The scene is painted in the original style, and detailed with and aluminum paints.
The exterior of the box including the edges of the lid and the box's sides are decorated with beautiful gold ornamentation.
The box is made out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers its exterior and red lacquer covers its interior. The box has a hinge from the left of the composition and rests on four legs. On the interior of the lid the artist has drawn in gold paints the sheet of paper, and within its boundaries she has written an inscription. The inscription lists the author's name, the fact that this is an artist original, the title for the piece, the year of 2004 and the village name of Kholuy. Nearby she has drawn in aluminum paints the purse filled with coins and the tobacco-pipe.