Vintage Russian Lacquer Box – Hand Painted Winter Fairy Tale Girl Cat Folk Art

A beautiful vintage Russian lacquer miniature box, entirely hand painted with an atmospheric winter scene depicting a young girl wrapped against a swirling snowstorm accompanied by a small animal, believed to be a cat.

The imagery may represent “The Silver Hoof”, the celebrated Russian fairy tale by Pavel Bazhov, although the subject cannot be confirmed with certainty.

The miniature has wonderful movement and atmosphere. Sweeping layers of white and blue create the impression of driving snow around the figures, while the girl’s face, clothing and the small animal have been individually and delicately painted.

A painted signature or inscription can be seen towards the lower edge of the composition, partially incorporated into the snowy landscape. I have not been able to identify the artist with sufficient confidence to attribute the box to a particular painter.

The box has the traditional Russian lacquer appearance with a glossy black exterior and striking red lacquered interior.

Stylistically the piece has similarities to Russian lacquer miniature work associated with Kholuy/Kholui, particularly in its fairy-tale subject and expressive landscape, but I am deliberately offering it simply as a signed Russian lacquer miniature rather than making an unsupported workshop attribution.

Approximate date: 1980s–1990s

Dimensions:
9 cm long
6 cm wide
3.2 cm high

Condition:
Good vintage condition overall with light surface marks and signs of previous handling consistent with age. The red interior remains particularly attractive and clean. Please study all photographs as these form an important part of the description.

A charming and highly decorative example of Russian miniature painting, with considerably more character than mass-produced transfer-decorated boxes. The dramatic winter palette makes this a particularly appealing piece for a collection of Russian lacquer art, folk art or fairy-tale miniatures.