Show all images on one page	#002529 Title: Snow Queen Artist: Larina Nadezhda Size: 20.5x12.5x4.5 Size (inches): 8x5x1.75 Price : $950 SOLD!

This attractive box featuring several scenes from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Snow Queen" was painted by Nadezhda Larina from the village of Palekh. In the right upper corner she depicts the evil dwarf who broke a magic mirror above the world that let out all of the ugliness, and those who were affected by it became wicked and noticed in everything only its bad sides. Poor Kay got a piece of this mirror stuck in his eye. Since then he fell under influence of Snow Queen. The left bottom corner shows Kay, Gerda, and their grandmother sitting in their cozy flat. At this moment the strong wind opens the window, and tiny pieces of magic glass penetrate into Kay's eye and heart. The right bottom corner depicts the Little Robber and her friends sitting in their den and cooking meal. They have just robbed Gerda's golden carriage, and intend to celebrate this lucky incident. In the right upper corner we can see the brave Gerda riding the reindeer and crossing the boundless expanses of the Lapland on her way to the Snow Queen's ice palace. In the center the Snow Queen allures Kay with her beautiful ice toys. The boy is enchanted with these toys; he forgot Gerda, his grandmother, and his former happy life. But Gerda is already here, in the Snow Queen's palace, she is ready to save him...
Various shades of blue are used to paint the Snow Queen and her ice kingdom, whereas the rest part of the composition is painted in brown and red tones. Larina uses aluminum and gold paints to fill in and outline details with a delicate touch.
The composition is framed with elegant gold pattern. The similar pattern accented with aluminum paints can be found wrapping around the box's sides.
The box is made out of paper-mache made. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The lid is hinged at the top, and the box rests on four rounded legs. Signed and dated (2006) by the artist.