Show all images on one page	#009826 Title: Tale of Snowmaiden Artist: not signed/ Olga Kosterina Size: 24x12.5x11.5 Size (inches): 9.5x5x4.5 Price: $550

This marvelous casket was painted by a talented Kholui artist Olga Kosterina. It shows three scenes from the popular Russian fairy-tale of Snowmaiden.
The casket has three compartments inside, so each compartment has it's own lid, so there are three lids on the top. Plus casket has a drawer , which can be open from the front side.
On the left lid of the casket the artist depicts the very beginning of a tale when a grandmother and grandfather who had no children made a girl out of snow for themselves, snow figure came to life and became a Snow Maiden.
The right lid shows Spring and Summer amusemant of the villagers. Here we can see how the children are taking Snowmaiden to the forest they sing the songs and dance a round dance (khorovod in Russian). And the middle lid continue the forest activity of the village people. They have start the fire and jump over it, but Snowmaiden can not stand the heat , melted and her Spirit and the steam from her snow body went up to the sky...
The work is painted in traditional Kholui style. 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 box's base is decorated with intricate gold leafy pattern added with red colour.
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 lids are hinged to the base, and the box rests on four legs.
The casket is not signed.
The tale was also adapted into an opera by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.