Winter Fun

This oval box has been created by Bokova Irina from the village of Palekh. It features the traditional theme of a Russian winter troika. The troika rushes along the village street passing by peasants and their houses. Some of the peasants went to the forest or carrying the buckles to the cows, the others get pleasure from various winter amusements. Some of them skate, sleigh, ski, while the others cook Christmas meal, decorated the Christmas tree, water cattle and pray inside the churches.
The scene is painted in bright orange, red and blue tones against the black background. It is richly decorated with gold and aluminum paints.
The edges of the lid and the box's sides are decorated with beautiful gold ornamentation.
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. A hinge is fastened to the top of the composition. The box rests on a small platform. It is signed and dated (2005) by the artist at the bottom of the composition in gold paints.