Mikheev Signed Russian Lacquer Box: St Isaac’s Cathedral St Petersburg Diorama

A beautifully decorated Russian lacquer box depicting St Isaac’s Cathedral in St Petersburg, with extensive hand-painted and gold embellishment.

Measuring approximately 10.5 cm × 8 cm × 3.5 cm, the box has a traditional glossy black lacquer exterior and vivid red lacquered interior.

The architectural scene is particularly attractive, showing the monumental St Isaac’s Cathedral framed by an ornate St Petersburg street lamp, railings and trees. Fine gold detailing has been applied throughout the composition, highlighting the cathedral’s dome, columns and architectural features as well as the lamps, foliage and decorative border.

The miniature is signed Mikheev (Михеев) at the lower right and the underside bears the circular Russian Collection / Русская Коллекция workshop mark.

Technique

Close examination of the miniature shows extensive individually applied hand-painted and gilt decoration.

Comparable pieces produced by this maker/workshop are known to combine a transferred or printed foundation with extensive hand-painted finishing and embellishment before being protected beneath multiple layers of lacquer.

I have therefore described the box as hand embellished rather than entirely hand painted, which I believe is the most accurate and transparent description of its construction.

This should not be confused with a simple printed souvenir box. There is considerable hand finishing present, particularly in the extensive gold outlining of the architecture, individual details of the street lamps, decorative border and the richly stippled gold foliage.

Russian Collection

The underside carries the distinctive Russian Collection workshop mark.

Russian Collection was associated with the production of Russian decorative lacquerware during the post-Soviet period, continuing traditional Russian lacquer-box forms while producing pieces at a range of different levels of artistic execution.

This example is additionally signed Mikheev, providing a useful attribution to the maker/decorator rather than being an anonymous Russian souvenir piece.

Subject

The scene depicts St Isaac’s Cathedral, one of the great architectural landmarks of St Petersburg.

Its monumental gilded dome and classical façade make it an especially attractive subject for Russian decorative art, and the extensive gold embellishment used on this box complements the architecture particularly well.

Date & Origin

Russia, most likely 1990s to early 2000s.

Condition

The box is in good vintage condition overall.

The decorated lid presents very well, with the architectural scene remaining bright and attractive and the extensive gold detailing retaining a lovely appearance.

The red lacquer interior is bright and clean and the hinged lid opens and closes correctly.

There are surface scratches, rubbing and other signs of previous handling to the black lacquer, most noticeably on the underside, together with minor age-related marks around the exterior edges. I consider these consistent with the age and previous use of the piece.

Please study all photographs carefully as they form an important part of the description and show both the decoration and condition in detail.

Details

• Russian lacquer box
• Russian Collection / Русская Коллекция workshop mark
• Signed Mikheev / Михеев
• St Isaac’s Cathedral, St Petersburg
• Lacquered papier-mâché / traditional lacquer-box construction
• Transferred or printed foundation with extensive hand-painted and gilt embellishment
• Black lacquer exterior
• Red lacquer interior
• Hinged lid
• Approximate dimensions: 10.5 cm × 8 cm × 3.5 cm
• Estimated date: 1990s–early 2000s

A very decorative signed Russian lacquer box with an immediately recognisable St Petersburg subject and an unusually generous amount of hand-applied gold detailing.

A lovely piece for a collection of Russian lacquerware, Russian decorative art, architectural miniatures or St Petersburg memorabilia.