Show all images on one page	#002783 Title: Easter Egg Artist: Shanitsina Yekaterina Size: 7x7x14.5 Size (inches): 2.75x2.75x5.75 Price : $3250 SOLD!

This Easter egg is a creation of Yekaterina Shchanitsyna, the top-artist from Palekh.
The work shows Russian believers committing the religious procession around the church at Easter midnight. After committing this ritual, the majestic Divine Liturgy takes place. When the Easter Liturgy is over, the believers consecrate sweet Easter cakes, paskha (sweet curds with raisins) and painted boiled eggs.
Easter is the most important Russian Orthodox Church holiday. It is a very popular holiday celebrated to commemorate of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here is how the Holy Bible describes Jesus Christ's resurrection: "Suddenly there was a great earthquake; and the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door of the tomb and sat on it. And the angel said, 'I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has arisen." That is why on the Easter day Russian people greet each other by the words "Christ has arisen!" And the expected answer is "He has truly arisen!" Another Easter tradition is to bake special round-shaped sweet bread (Easter cakes). On Easter's Eve the Easter cakes are on sale in nearly all bakeries. The painted eggs are considered to be symbols of Easter and eternal life. It is a traditional Easter present for relatives and friends.
Easter has no fixed date. It is held on the first Sunday after the date of the first full moon that occurs on or after March 21. Orthodox Easter is celebrated two weeks after Catholic Easter.
The work is painted in the traditional Palekh style using blue, red, brown and green tempera paints, and abundantly detailed with lustrous gold and silver metal paints. Gold and silver metal paints are also used to create the lace like and very intricate ornamentation that decorates the egg's bottom part, and also nice floral patterns that adorn the pedestal on which the egg rests. Both the egg and the pedestal are constructed from paper-mache. The pedestal is supplied with the metal sprig to prevent the egg from rolling off the pedestal. The work is signed with the artist's name, and the village of Palekh.