Show all images on one page	#004463 Title: Snow Queen Artist: Shatokhina Zhenya Size: 6x5x6 Size (inches): 2.25x2x2.25 Price : $650 SOLD!

This attractive five-sided box was painted by the talented Zhenya Shatokhina from the village of Palekh.
The subject of this small casket is based on Hans Christian Andersen's popular fairy tale "The Snow Queen". Kay was sledging down the ice-hill together with other children. Suddenly he saw the Snow Queen's luxuriant huge sledge pulled by magnificent white steeds. The Snow Queen whose festive attire was shining like diamonds offered the boy to take a ride inside her speedy sledge, the boy agreed, and nobody saw him since then. And this moment we can see on the front side of a casket.
On the top of the box we can see Kay and Gerda watering flowers on a bench, which connected their houses.
On a back side from a top we can see Gerda sitting on a deer going to find Kay and on the right side she is in a boat.
On the left side from a top the artist has chosen a final moment of the tale when Gerda managed to penetrate into the icy palace of the Snow Queen. She found there her kidnapped brother, Kay, and the Snow Queen sitting on her huge ice throne. Kay was playing with the beautiful ice toys, and didn't recognize Gerda when she addressed to him. Later Gerda embraced Kay, and her hot tears melted the ice in Kay's heart and washed out pieces of the evil mirror from his eyes. In that moment the powerful Snow Queen and her splendid ice palace started to melt. Only true love can make wonders!
The drawing is truly rich of details. Shatokhina's style is making a real miniature painting!
The artist has made fine use of gold and aluminum paint within the scene. She has used the colors to contour and shade almost every area of the scenes. There is a treasure-like gleam within the trees, the leaves even have a bit of an added dimension about them. The characters' clothes are detailed with gold patterns.
The box is made of papier-mache, with a hinge to the top of the lid . Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the work while red lacquer completes the interior of the piece. As customary with Palekh tradition, the black lacquer exterior also acts like the background for the scene. The lid is framed with golden filigree pattern that ended with silver snow flakes. The similar gold floral pattern decorates the sides of the box.
The casket is signed with the name of the work, the name of the artists and village of Palekh and year of 2006.