The Seven Semeons

Strunina Tatiana from the village of Mstera is the author of this box. It shows several scenes from the Russian fairy-tale “"The Seven Semeons".
This tale tells about seven orphans who were adopted by the Kind. Each of them promised the Tsar to master a separate skill. The first Semeon wanted to be a smith and promised to erect a pillar so tall that it would almost touch the sky. The second Semeon said that he would climb that pillar to keep watch on what is happening in the surrounding kingdoms. The third Semeon promised to become a ship builder. The fourth Semeon said that he would be the captain of that ship. The fifth Semeon said that he would be able to take that ship to the bottom of the ocean. The sixth Semeon said that he would be able to bring that ship up from the bottom of the ocean. And to the Tsar's surprise, the seventh Semeon answered that he wanted to be a thief. The Tsar was not pleased by his answer and warned him that he put thieves in his kingdom to death.
The years passed and the seven Semeons had become grown men. One day the Tsar gathered them to see what they had learned. Each of them demonstrated the tsar his skills. Most of all the tsar liked skills of the second Semeon who could climb the high pillar and told that he saw Elena the Fair in the neighboring kingdom, and most of he disliked skills of the seventh Semeon as he indeed became a thief. The tsar was about to hung the seventh brother, but changed his mind when the thief promised to steal Elena the Fair with the help of this brothers.
Owing to their skills the brothers could successfully steal Elena the Fair and returned to their kingdom. Later the tsar and Elena fell in love with each other, while the seven Semeons married Elena's maids.
The scene is painted in bright tempera paints, and detailed with gold paints.
The edges of the lid and the box's sides are decorated with beautiful gold and aluminum floral patterns.
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, and the box rests on four legs. The work is signed with the artist's name, the village of Mstera, and the title.