"Yelena the Fair" is a quiet, humble, and kind young girl who lives in the forest near Baba Yaga. On her way to fetch water one day she come in contact with an old beggar. The old man asks her for some help, which she will eventually give him, but she also gives him a firm warning. If Baba Yaga happens to come across him sitting by the well she will help him for sure. However, she will not do so in good faith. She will want something in return and if he cannot come up with her payback she will turn him into a small forest animal. So the old man says, "Prove it," and she tells him to take a look around at all of the animals he sees. He does and she tells him that each used to be a person who was reckless enough to bargain with the old witch. She gets her water and leaves after giving fair warning, but the old man in desperation sits waiting for fate to turn its ugly head.
Egg-tempera paint is the main medium used to paint this composition. The palette is very unique, yet incorporates the perfect blend of light and dark tones to make this scene plausible for the viewer. Not only does the artist paint a scene on the lid, but she also paints eight separate scene around the sides of the box. The compositions on the side of the box each have one or two forest animals, like the ones mentioned in the story. The brushwork and linear movement is executed with precision and a flow that is very smooth. This creates an intense internal action, which brings elements in the scene to life. In the main composition, the artist is able to give the illusion of depth by making a subtle shift from dark to lighter tones where she paint the sky. Baba Yaga's hut stands in the background and is painted to look uninviting and cold.
The compositions, on the sides, have the following content in each:
!. A crane 2. A squirrel in the tree stump 3. An owl 4. Two cranes 5. A tree stump with mushrooms 6. A gray wolf 7. Two ducks 8. Two rabbits
The box is constructed out of paper-mache made in the village of Kholuy. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. Gold filigree with aluminum beads frames the composition and wraps around each composition on the side of the box. The box has no hinge and rests on an edge carved from the bottom of the box. The box's shape is decorative and own an aesthetic appeal enhanced by the paintings. Upon completing the work on this piece the artist writes the title, Kholuy, and signs her name under the composition on the lid.
Materials: paper-mache, egg-tempera paint, gold paint, aluminum paint, and lacquer.
Item Specifications:
- Title: "Yelena the Fair 2001"
- Price: $850.00
- Status: SOLD
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