Show all images on one page	#009639 Title: Tale of a Scarlet Flower Artist: Kuzmenko Galina Size: 10.5x6.5x13.5 Size (inches): 4x2.5x5.25 Price : $499 SOLD!

This unique shape box was painted by a talented artist Galina Kuzmenko from Palekh. The box depicts the scenes from the popular Russian fairy-tale "The Scarlet Flower", written by Sergey Aksakov. The tale is very similar to what we know today as "Beauty and the Beast." This thrilling tale tells about love of a beautiful girl and a horrible beast that afterwards will turn into a handsome prince.
In this fairy tale the merchant who has just come back from his trade trip and brought his daughters the presents. The older sisters try on their new expensive clothes, while the youngest one holds her desirable present - the Magic Scarlet Flower. This beautiful flower the merchant has stolen from the garden of the ugly monster. Being caught by the monster, the merchant has become the monster's eternal captive. His only wish has been to say good-bye to his dear daughters and relatives, and then he has been obliged to return to the monster's kingdom. The merchant's old daughters are very happy to get the presents, and only the youngest one notices that her father is very sad. When she finds out the truth, she decides to become the monster's captive instead of her father. The story has a happy end, daughter has married a Beast, after a kiss he became a beautiful prince.
On the box's front side we can see the merchant bringing the magic scarlet flower to one of his daughters. On the lid the artist has drawn a girl(daughter of merchant) who approaches the monster's garden at his palace. And on the back sidewe can see a happy end with marriage of a daughter and beautiful prince, who used to be a beast.
The palette contains bold and vivacious colors. Gold paint is used to detail the scenes throughout, figures of the characters, flowers and trees. Gold paint is also used to decorate the box's exterior with luxuriant ornaments.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the box while red lacquer completes the interior of the work. The lid is hinged from the top of the painting, and the box rests on a flat bottom. The work is signed with the artist's name, title and Palekh at the bottom of the lid.