Show all images on one page	#002360 Title: Russian Fairytales Artist: Tsyganova Olga Size: 10.5x9x10 Size (inches): 4x3.5x4 Price : $750 SOLD!

Olga Tsyganova from the village of Palekh created this splendid box. It features the scenes from two different Russian fairy-tales "Marya Morevna", and "The Yourth Giving Apples". Its entire surface except its bottom and interior are covered with paintings. The lid's sloping sides are decorated with beautiful flowers painted in tempera paints and richly detailed with gold paints.
The box's front and right sides show the moments from "Marya Morevna". This tale tells about adventures of Ivan Tsarevich whose wife, Marya Morevna, was kidnapped by Koshchey the Deathless.
The box's lid and its rear and left sides familiarize the viewer with the plot of "The Apples of Youth and the Water of Life". The old Tsar dreams of returning him youth and being young again. He sends his three sons to carry him the golden apples and the water of life. With the help of the golden apples, he hopes to become young again, and with the help of the magic water, he intends to heal his poor eyesight. Having been tempted and deceived by a wicked maiden, the elder brothers are taken prisoner, while their young brother Ivan Tsarevich manages to fulfill this task and marry the beautiful Blue Eyed Maiden.
The colors are bold, and have good expressive qualities in the way they are applied by the artist. Each scene is detailed with gold and aluminum paints.
The scene painted on the box's lid is framed with gold beads. The edges of the lid are decorated with intricate gold and aluminum floral ornamentation. The same ornamentation can be found wrapping around the box's bottom border.
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 composition and the box rests on four legs. Signed with the artist's name, and the village (Palekh).