Show all images on one page	#009319 Title: Snowmaiden Artist: Kuzmenko Galina Size: 22.5x15.5x7 Size (inches): 10.25x6.25x1.5 Price : $495 SOLD!

This beautiful box was created by the talented Kuzmenko Galina from the village of Palekh. It is amazing, the amount of action and accuracy that fits within such a small surface area. Everything is very well organized. There are multiple areas to focus upon, and still the drama is easy to decipher.
This scene features the ending of "Snegurochka", or "The Snowmaiden".
Snegurochka is staying near to Mizgir, while the merciless god Yarilo is throwing his rays on her. Girls and lads are dancng in a circle around Snowmaiden. Next to the Snowmaiden, Mizgir will make a declaration of love to her soon.
To the right from them Lel with a flute is depicted.
This is a sort of ancient Russian fortune telling. Girls are passing their flower wreaths in a water of a river. These wreaths will indicate the girls' husbands. A lad who picks a wreath is considered to be a husband of one of them.
Nobody yet understands, that Snowmaiden begins to melt... The musicians blow their horns. All people look merry and happy.
Classic Palekh training, combined with a keen individual talents, makes this composition a pleasure to behold. Dynamic and emotive, the scene is carefully balanced and smartly detailed. Gold and aluminum paint make up the fine details and highlights within every element of the scene. The the inclusion of blue water in the background, all the major colors of the rainbow are represented, giving a great variance to the painting.
This paper-mache made box is elegantly designed and has the slopping 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.
A hinge has been fastened above the composition to be used for ease of opening. The lid's artistry has been framed with a string of golden beads. The sides of the box are decorated with a golden filigree pattern. Crisp aluminum wild flowers accentuate this golden filigree. The box rests flat.
The artist wrote her name and the village name of Palekh at the bottom of the composition in gold paint.