Show all images on one page	#002216 Title: Astronauts Artist: Zhiryakov Alexey Size: 17,5x13x3 Size (inches): 6,75x5,25x1,25 Price : $850 SOLD!

Alexey Zhiryakov of Palekh has painted this composition on the cosmos theme. You can find here all the steps the human society made to come to cosmos. The history of examining cosmos begins with inventing balloons and planes that are depicted from the left and the right of the central scene in the bottom part of the composition. Then people invented cosmos stations and shuttles; they are depicted in the upper part of the composition. The central part features launching of the space rocket, two astronauts and the observatory. The rest part of the composition is dotted with bright gold stars and various planets.
The composition is painted in bright tempera paints and richly detailed with gold and aluminum paints. The black background helps to reproduce infinite darkness of the space. Gold metal leaf shines through some the stars and the fire coming out of the space rocket.
The sides of the box are decorated with elaborate gold and aluminum ornamentation.
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 a flat bottom. Zhiryakov has signed, and dated (2004) his work.