Show all images on one page	#002282 Title: Mermaids(at the deep waters...) Artist: Dobrina Olga Size: 15x10x3 Size (inches): 6x4x1.25 Price : $650 SOLD!

This traditional Kholui box is a creation of O. Dobrina. It is called "Mermaids", and features the lad who came across two mermaids swimming in the pond. In ancient times Russian people believed that every small pond or a big lake is inhabited by mermaids. This folk belief is reflected in a number of fairy-tales and legends.
The characters are painted in bright red, orange and brown tones whereas the beautiful landscape filled with various plants and animals is painted in green and blue tones. This helps the characters to stand out against the bluish background.
The scene is framed with a floral pattern painted in gold and aluminum. The same pattern of a bigger size wraps around the box's sides.
The box is constructed out of papier-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The box has a hinge affixed from the left of the composition and rests on a flat bottom. It is signed with the artist's name, the village of Kholui, and the title ("On the Pond-Bank").