Show all images on one page	#005274 Title: Magic of Oz Artist: Medvedeva Antonina Size: 17.5x13x20.5 Size (inches): 7x5x8 Price : $1100 SOLD!

The theme of this incredible lacquer box painted by Antonina Medvedeva is based on the Russian version of "The Wizard of Ozz" that is called "The Wizard of the Emerald Town" and written by the Soviet children's writer Alexander Volkov. The main heroine of this tale is a little girl Elly. During violent hurricane the trailer with the girl and her dog sitting inside was carried away in the fairy land (this scene is painted at the top of the lid). The inhabitants of this country were dwarfs who lived in the green houses with an emerald ball at their top. They wore green costumes decorated with emerald buttons, and green hats with an emerald ball at top. The owner of this land was the great and terrible wizard, whose name was Gudvin. The kind Fairy, Villina, the ruler of the Yellow Country, advised the girl to go along the yellow bricked road leading to Gudvin's palace, and ask him to return her in Kansas (this scene is painted on the front lid's side). On her way to Gudvin's residence Elly met her new friends - the scarecrow Strashila (this scene is shown on the lid's right side), the Iron Woodman (the lid's left side), and the Coward Lion (the lid's rear side). They started to accompany the girl as they also had wishes, and wanted Gudvin to realize them. Strashila wanted to be clever, the Iron Woodman wished to receive a heart, and the Lion hoped to become brave.
The scenes painted on the sides of the box's body feature Elly's further adventures. On the front side Gudvin realizes wishes of Elly's friends. He appeared before them in various forms as a monster, a beautiful maiden, and as a giant head. But he couldn't help Elly return home. He said that Elly had to release the Violet Country from the power of wicked witch, Bastinda, if she wished to return to Kansas. On the left side we can see huge flying monkeys carrying Elly and her friends to this land, and also Elly's victory over Bastinda realized by throwing cold water over the witch. Elly also received the golden cap of Bastilda, the second magic thing (the first one were silver shoes that her dog found in the cave of the second wicked witch, Gingema, the ruler of the Blue Country; Elly's trailer blown by hurricane landed on this cave and killed Gingema). Elly found out that this golden cape was stolen from the kind fairy Stella, the ruler of the Pink Country, and the friends decided to go there. Elly returned the golden cap to Stella (this scene is painted on the box's rear side, and the fairy helped to realize Elly's wish - to return home. The right side features realization of Elly's wish; Elly is at home, her mother and father are happy to embrace their daughter.
Antonina Medvedeva is a talented artist, capable of producing both whimsical and serious compositions. She has the ability to design multi-scened miniatures, such as this one, with apparent ease, in which an entire story unfolds and no scene distracts or is shrouded by another. Bright colors, and attention to detail help to make her work both collectible and adorable.
Using egg-tempera paints, Medvedeva creates the various realms of the magic land. She also uses aluminum and gold paints in certain occasions, where appropriate.
Each scene is outlined with a gold line, and then framed by a gold leafy 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 legs. The work is signed and titled by Antonina Medvedeva.