Item specifics:
Culture: Russian / Eastern European Type: Hand-painted Lacquer Box / Hinged Trinket Box Style: Kholuy School (Miniature Painting) Material: Papier-mâché, black lacquer, tempera paint, gold detailing Dimensions: 4.5 × 3.3 × 1 in (11.4 × 8.4 × 2.5 cm) Condition: Excellent vintage condition – high gloss finish with vibrant colors, no significant crazing or cracks observed, clean red interior.
Description
A stunning hand-painted vintage Russian lacquer box from the Kholuy school of miniature painting. This piece features a beautifully rendered scene from the beloved Russian fairy tale The Scarlet Flower (Alyenkiy Tsvetochek), which is the Russian variation of Beauty and the Beast.
The intricate painting depicts the heroine, Nastenka, seated in a fantastical garden holding the glowing scarlet flower. Looming in the background behind the castle walls is the beast/monster, portrayed here as a green, furred creature guarding his domain. Unlike the graphic style of Palekh, the Kholuy style is known for a more "painterly" approach with realistic gradients and softer shading, clearly visible in the folds of her red dress and the atmospheric background.
The box is titled, signed, and located in gold Cyrillic along the bottom edge.
Key features:
Signed & Titled: Inscribed in gold script:
Left: "Аленький цветочек" (The Scarlet Flower).
Center: "п. Холуй" (Village of Kholuy).
Right: "исп. Суслова Т" (Artist: T. Suslova).
Fairy Tale Subject: captures the pivotal moment of the Beauty and the Beast narrative.
Kholuy Artistry: Features the distinct blue-green color palette and emotive style typical of Kholuy artists.
Vibrant Interior: The inside is finished in traditional pristine red lacquer.
Gold Detail: Framed by a delicate gold scrollwork border that encases the image.
