Show all images on one page	#001549 Title: Snowmaiden Artist: Strunina (Fomichova)Olga Size: 16x5,5x4 Size (inches): 6 1/8x2 1/8x1 5/8 Price : $460 SOLD!

Olga Strunina of Mstera has painted this winter scene showing Snegurochka (the Snowmaiden) driving in the sledge drawn by a big bear. Different forest animals: squirrels, white rabbits and birds accompany the sledge. Snegurochka is the granddaughter of Ded Moroz (Russians call Santa "Ded Moroz"). Every year Snegurochka and her grandfather come from the faraway North Pole to wish Happy New Year to little children and their parents. In the right upper corner the small village is depicted where Snegurochka is making her way. She will give the children of this village many presents, she will dance and sing with them.
Blue and white tones dominate the composition. Gold contouring adds a fairy-tale luster to the stars, and some other elements of the composition. The atmosphere of joy is matched by the wonderful line movement coursing through the action. The artist does not stop her painting on the lid, and continues her rendering of New Year theme around the sides of the box. Using a very similar palette as on the lid, she depicts homes surrounded with the forest on all four sides of the box. They are painted to look very cozy and warm under the star filled sky and the white snow.
The scene is framed with a gold line. The edges of the lid are decorated with floral designs drawn in gold metallic paint and blue and green oils. The same floral designs wrap around the sides of the box. The box is constructed from quality paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The lid is hinged from the top and the box rests on a flat bottom. The work is signed with the artist's name, village, title ("Snegurochka") and year (2003).