Show all images on one page	#006196 Title: The Name of a Muse Artist: Zhiryakov Alexey Size: 13x10x4 Size (inches): 5x4x1.5 Price : $875 SOLD!

This adorable box is a creation of the outstanding Palekh artist, Alexey Zhiryakov. The work is entitled "The Name of a Muse", and shows Apollo sitting on the throne surrounded with beautiful muses.
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and arts. That is why the depicted Muse is a source of inspiration and knowledge for the women that surround the goddess. Some of them look for the inspiration in music while the others in dramatic art and poetry.In addition, the artist Zhiryakov added, that he was thought, that Apollo is father of the muses, and if so, he can give them a name. On this composition we can see a moment when father is giving the names to daughters-muses.
The composition is painted in beautifully combined blue and green tones of tempera paints. Gold and silver paint is used to fill the scene with lustrous details. The box's exterior is decorated with ancient Greek style patterns painted in various tones of brown tempera paint. Gold scrolling patterns can be also found on the box's sides as an original decoration.
The box is made out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The lid is hinged from the top of the scene, and the box rests on four rounded legs. The work is signed with the artist's name, Palekh, the title and the year of 2011.