Show all images on one page	#006538 Title: The holiday of Our Most Holy Lady's Protection/Pokrov Artist: Molodkin Vladimir Size: 24x18x5.5 Size (inches): 9.5x7x2.25 Price : $1950 SOLD!

This box continues Vladimir Molodkin's series of works dedicated to Russian Holidays, and shows how the Russians celebrate the holiday of Our Most Holy Lady's Protection. This holiday is celebrated on the 14th of October in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and also known as Pokrov. It is one of the most important holidays in Russia that initially appeared in Byzantine Empire. It is arranged to commemorate a vision to St. Andrew the Blessed Fool who was a Slav by birth. He saw the dome of the church open and the Virgin Mary enter, moving in the air above him, glowing and surrounded by angels and saints. She knelt and prayed with tears for all faithful Christians in the world. After his vision the town of Constantinople was saved from enemies. In Russia this holiday was arranged by Saint Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky. This day the Russians bake pancakes. There is also a tradition to arrange weddings on Pokrov. It is believed that if it snows on Pokrov a marriage will be happy.
The composition is painted in Vladimir Molodkin's favorite palette filled with soft blues, greens, oranges, browns and yellows. Golden contours outline the areas of emphasis throughout the composition. The composition is outlined with gold. Intricate gold foliage ornamentation decorate the edges of the lid, and another gold foliage ornamentation, only bigger in size, wraps around the box's sides.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the work while red lacquer completes the interior of the box. The lid is hinged from the top of the composition. The box rests upon four legs. The work is signed, titled ("The Holiday of Pokrov") at the bottom of the composition.