Show all images on one page	#007990 Title: Tale of Snowmaiden Artist: Vlasova Svetlana and Eugeniy Size: 17.5x13x4 Size (inches): 7x5x1.5 Price : $3950 SOLD!

This magnificent box was created by the talented husband and wife duo of Yevgeniy and Svetlana Vlasov from the village of Kholui. Here they have chosen to depict several scenes from the fairy tale, "The Snowmaiden."
In the lid's composition the main focus falls upon the Snowmaiden. She is about to melt away forever, and Mizgir at her left side cannot bear that he is about to lose his true love. The people of Tsar Berendey's kingdom observe this tragic moment that takes place at the height of the feast arranged in honor of their god Yarilo (the Sun). In the upper part of the composition we can see this Sun-god Yarilo throwing his merciless rays upon the Snowmaiden. In the beginning of the tale Yarilo declares the Snowmaiden's parents that the girl will be safe only if she doesn't fall in love; otherwise she will die. But the Snowmaiden is very beautiful, and it is inevitable that in the end she feels the warmth in her heart and falls in love.
The artists continues to describe the plot of the tale on the box's sides. The front side shows farewell of Snegurochka with her parents, Old Man Winter and Fairy Spring; the people of Tsar Berendey's kingdom singing and dancing in a ring to the accompaniment of Lel's music; the old couple who sheltered Snegurochka and the interior of their house. The box's rear side features Lel presenting flower to the Snowmaiden; and Tsar Berendey who is going to punish the Snowmaiden for enticing Mizgir away from jealous Coupava. The right side depicts the tsar's herald announcing that the Snowmaiden is innocent, and Coupava's accusation is false. The left side shows the people of Tsar Berendey's kingdom celebrating the feast arranged in honor of Yarilo.
With an abundance of detail the artists give the eyes a feast of information to digest. It is hard to conceive the amount of brushstrokes they made, the amount of blending and layering, or the constant re-working of the scenes to make them look perfect. Each of the scenes is an absolute delight. The details are enhanced tremendously by the golden and aluminum contours illuminating each and every inch of the moment composed.
Beautiful golden dots pattern frame the scene. The box's sides are decorated with elegant gold and silver pattern.
The box is constructed out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The box has a hinge above the composition and rests on four small round legs. Inside this miniature the artists has wrote their names, a list of materials used, the title, the village name of Kholuy, the year of 2014, and the confirmation that this work is of original design.