Stavr Godinovich has landed himself in Prince Vladimir's prison and there is no escaping. The only one in the whole world he can count on is his wife. She is as clever and strong as she is beautiful, and her power of manipulation and persuasion is great. As soon as she heard of her husband's imprisonment she came to his aid. Prince Vladimir, however, was looking to throw her in the slammer as well, and she needed a way to get past all of that. She cut all her hair off and dressed like a man before she entered Kiev (the city Prince Vladimir hailed from), and introduced herself as the ambassador from Chernigov. Vladimir's wife was suspicious and even told him that this ambassador was not a man, but Vasilisa Mikulichna, the wife of Stavr Godinovich whom he was after. So Vladimir put her to the test. He rolled dice with her, and she won. Then he had her battle two bogatyrs, and won against both. Because he thought he was proven wrong he offered her jewels and riches. She took none of those things but only asked for the release of Stavr. He agreed and thus Vasilisa saved her husband.
Egg-tempera paint is the main medium used to paint this composition. Cool blues and greens make up the foundation for the composition, while soft oranges, pinks, and reds are limned into the foreground. The artist paints the composition by adding multiple scenes, with exterior and interior views that show different times in the legend. This hearkens back to the icon painting days when artists did this to create powerful thematic movement. All the lines in the scene are precise and create action where necessary. The usage of color is eye-catching and helps to bring the viewer closer in to examine what is painted. Gold is used to add the intricate details that bring portions of this composition to life. This composition is a perfect example of the great decorational style Mstera artists paint in. Their knowledge of the tempera medium, emotional tales and legend, and how to elicit a response from their audience is the reason for the creation of wonderful works such as this.
The box is made out of paper-mache made in Mstera. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box; clear lacquer is added in layers that are polished to a glistening finish. Gold and aluminum ornamentation, with a floral pattern, frames the scene and wraps around the sides of the box. The box has a hinge above the composition and rests on four rounded feet. Upon completing the work on this piece the artist writes the title, Mstera, and signs his name on the lid.
Materials: paper-mache, egg-tempera paint, gold, aluminum, and lacquer.
About Artist Strunin, Mikhail Ivanovich:
Mikhail Ivanovich Strunin - lacquer miniature artist. Chief artist of the Center of Traditional Mstera Miniature.
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read about Strunin, Mikhail Ivanovich
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Item Specifications:
- Title: "Vasilisa Mikulichna 2003"
- Price: $900.00
- Status: SOLD
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