Show all images on one page	#001933 Title: Nutcracker Artist: Strunina Olga Size: 17x12x3 Size (inches): 6.75x4.75x1.25 Price : $650 SOLD!

This elegant box has been created by the talented artist Olga Strunina from the village of Mstera. Olga is a daughter of renowned Mstera artist Lev Fomichev, and that is why one can see the influence of his technique and soft color palette in her works. Following in her father's footsteps, Strunina has used home-made pigments obtained from stones gathered from streams around Mstera. This method was used by old Russian masters, and has been passed down from father to daughter.
The box displays a scene from "The Nutcracker", a Christmas fairy-tale written by E.T.A Hoffman. The story tells about adventures of a little girl during the Christmas night. All her toys became alive and started speak like people. Her favorite toy, the Nutcracker, became her suitor and defender from the Mouse King. In this fantastic battle scene we can see the Nutcracker attacking the three-headed Mouse King. The Nutcracker approaches his foe, sword aloft, at the head of his army of toys.
The artist chooses subdued palette that includes soft reds, yellows, oranges and greens to paint this scene. The application of gold contouring grants this piece its intensely festive flare.
Although she has learned much from her father, Strunina has developed a style all her own. This splendid composition can prove easily this fact. It is originally designed. The curtains that frame the scene give an impression that the action takes place on the stage in the theatre. Painting with an ultra-thin brush, the painter pays special attention to the minute details of the composition: the beautiful wall-papers, the furniture, the elegantly designed windows, the night landscape behind the windows, and the clothes of all characters.
The scene is framed with a gold line. An elegant floral pattern painted in gold decorates the edges of the lid. The similar pattern, only highlighted with red and brown tempera paints ornaments the sides of this box.
The box is constructed out of paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior and red lacquer is used to paint the interior of the box. The lid is hinged, and rests on a flat bottom. The work is signed with the artist's name, the title, the village of Mstera, and the year of 2005 at the bottom of the composition in gold paints.