Show all images on one page	#004185 Title: Russian Winter Holidays Artist: Shirokov Anatoliy Size: 24x18x5 Size (inches): 9.5x7x2 Price : $1350 SOLD!

The famous Mstera artist Anatoly Shirokov created this marvelous painting depicting a celebration of Maslenitsa. The Maslenitsa holiday represents the passing of Winter and the thankful coming of Spring. Maslenisa usually takes place the week before the Lenten fast. In ancient times Maslenitsa included different magic and religious rites that afterwards transformed into traditional folk customs, such as burning of a man of straw that embodies the winter, baking of sacrificial bread - pancakes, dressing masquerades, various games, driving in a sledge at high speed and many others. Some of these customs are depicted here. In the middle of the composition the lads and girls sing songs merrily. In the left bottom corner the market-woman offers everybody to taste her pancakes. A little above tavern workers invite people to drink a glass of wine. In the right upper corner a lad climbs up the high pole trying to fetch the boots attached to the top of it. Some of the people depicted here enjoy sledging and riding troika. Everybody is happy, merry and drunken a little bit.
The palette for this composition is chosen due to the winter setting. Shirokov has perfectly combined shades of blue and yellow to create a stunning atmosphere of a sunny winter day. Gold and aluminum paint is used to add detail and enhance the colors, which gives the scene great clarity and richness.
The composition is outlined with gold paint, and then framed by gold beads. Gold beads can be also found wrapping around the bottom part of the box's sides. The box's sides are adorned with a rich pattern painted in tempera paints, and detailed with gold and aluminum paint. In the middle of each side Shirokov has painted a small scene depicting birds flying in the winter forest.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the piece while red lacquer completes the interior of the box. A hinge has been fastened along the top of the composition and the box rests on four legs. The work is signed with the artist's name, Mstera and the title "Winter Holidays".