Show all images on one page	#003673 Title: Snowmaiden Artist: Gelisheva Ludmila Size: 19.5x15.5x5 Size (inches): 7.5x6x2 Price : $750 SOLD!

This marvelous box was painted by the talented Palekh artist Ludmila Gelisheva. It shows some scenes from the popular Russian fairy-tale "The Snowmaiden" or "Snegurochka". In the center of the composition the artist depicts the recognizable moment when the Snowmaiden melts the eyes of the amazed villagers. Mizgir wants to help her but everything is in vain; the merciless rays of the sun continue to kill his beloved girl. In the upper left corner we can see Lel playing his flute. In the bottom left corner Gelisheva has drawn the Snowmaiden saying good-bye to her mother, Faerie Spring. The bottom right corner shows the date of the Snowmaiden and Lel, and the upper right corner features the Snowmaiden speaking with birds.
The work is a good example of intricate Palekh art. The Palekh tradition of the black lacquer exterior acting as the background for the composition works wonders for the palette and the decoration. The greens and blues become electric, the reds and oranges passionate. Hair thin gold and silver accents have been used extensively throughout the composition adding rich luminescence and delicacy to the piece. The Snowmaiden's figure is painted to look transparent to remind the fact that she is the daughter of nature.
The box's exterior is decorated with intricate gold leafy patterns.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the piece while red lacquer completes the interior of the work. The lid is hinged from the top, and the box rests on four legs. The artist wrote her name, the year of 2007 and the village name of Palekh along the bottom of the composition in gold paint.