Morning in the Woods

This box is a creation of Sladkov from the village of Fedoskino. "Morning in the Woods" as this work is entitled was originally painted on canvas by Ivan Shishkin. Exhibited in the Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery, it is one of the most popular pieces viewed in the entire museum. It has become something of a national symbol for Russia, which lacquer miniature artists were quick to adopt into their work.
Painted originally in 1889, the scene shows a mother bear watching her three cubs playing on the fallen trunk of a tree. The landscape, executed in transparent technique, presents real Russian impenetrable thickets with mighty firs and pines, lacy foliage and lush grass.
Greens and browns make up the tonal majority in the foreground, while the artist paints the background with aluminum paint in the underlayers. The brushwork is impeccable, which reveals the intricate details throughout the foreground.
The box is made out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The box has a hinge from the top of the scene, and rests flat. The work is signed by the artist.