Fedoskino, Russia, 1987 - 1992
These boxes are from the later 20th century resurgence of Fedoskino, which, under Ivan Korobov and his son-in-law Piotr Lukutin in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was the birthplace of Russian lacquer art. The workmanship of the Lukutin embraced highly artistic painting in oils with very fine, dense brushwork and gold leaf and metallic powders showing through translucent paint, a heritage evident in these signed and dated examples. Around the middle of the 20th century Fedoskino artists opened a new creative front, adapting native legends and fairy tales to the demands of their miniature art.
Literature:
Armstrong, David, Russian Lacquer Boxes, Moscow: Forkis Publishers,
1992.
Malakhov, Nikolai [Butkova, Tatyana, trans.], Fedoskino, Moscow:
Izobrazitelnoye Iskusstvo Publishers, 1990.
Maxym, Lucy, Russian Lacquer, Legends and Fairy Tales, vol. 1,
Manhasset, N.Y.: Siamese Imports Co., 1981.
Provenance: Estate of Jack J. Dreyfus, Jr.
Price: $3,250, the group of four
Individual descriptions of the four boxes follow:
ILYIN, Leonid Nikolaevich [after Viktor Danilovich ANTONOV]
Tale of the Humpbacked Pony: The Tsar’s
Promotion of Ivan
Fedoskino, Russia, 1989
Lacquered box on pip feet with hinged cover, the box overall black with gilt friezes on edge of cover and bottom of sides, the interior lacquered red, the cover painted in oils with gold leaf and metallic powders and inlays of mother-of-pearl. The box 8.0 x 28.8 x 22.2 cm (3-1/4 x 11-3/8 x 8-3/4 in.) overall, exclusive of pip feet on bottom. The painting inscribed in Cyrillic, “c. Fedoskino 1989 g.,” lower left, and signed “Ilyin L.,” lower right. Condition: Slight scuffing and scratches on surface of painting, a 5 mm scratch in building roof upper middle, several bare chips on edges of box, one of the pip feet missing, overall in excellent condition notwithstanding the edge chipping, the painting overall very fine.
This example was painted by Leonid Ilyin, professor of the school at Fedoskino, after the celebrated original design by the older master Viktor Antonov, executed 1959 (see Malakhov, op. cit., pl. 145). It depicts the tale of the Humpbacked Pony (Konyok-garbunok), a famed fairy-tale poem by Pyotr Pavlovich Yershov (1815-1869) extolled by Pushkin. The Tsar bought the two magnificent golden-maned steeds from Ivan at the fair only to find that they then stayed with Ivan rather than follow the Tsar’s grooms back to the stables. In the present scene the Tsar solves the problem by appointing Ivan stable-master in place of the chamberlain. The chamberlain later spied on Ivan and in revenge told the Tsar that Ivan, having found a feather of the Firebird, boasted that he could captivate even the Firebird as well. The Tsar then admonished Ivan to find and bring the Firebird itself or lose his head, a reversal which the present scene presages by depicting the Firebird’s feather in Ivan’s hand, the menacing axe-head above the Tsar’s crown and the faithful pony, whose plan would find and catch the Firebird, at Ivan’s feet. References: Malakhov, op. cit., plate 145; Maxym, op. cit., pp. 19-25.
TRETIAKOV, Viktor [after Gennadi Ivanovich LARISHEV (1929-2008)]
Snegurochka, The Snow Maiden
Fedoskino, Russia, 1987
Lacquered box on pip feet with hinged cover, the box overall black, the interior lacquered red, the cover painted in oils with silver and gold leaf and metallic powders. The box 6.3 x 21.0 x 14.0 cm (2-1/2 x 8-1/4 x 5-1/2 in.) overall, exclusive of pip feet on bottom. The painting inscribed in Cyrillic, “Fedoskino - 1987,” lower left, and signed “Tretiakov” lower right. Condition: Slight crazing and scratches on surface of painting, a 5 mm scratch below face of foreground child right, several bare chips on edges of box, overall in very good condition notwithstanding the edge chipping, the painting overall very fine.
This example was painted by Viktor Tretiakov after the original design by the master Gennadi Larishev (see Malakhov, op. cit., pl. 123). It depicts Snegurochka, granddaughter of Father Frost, built out of snow by an elderly peasant couple as their only child, as told in the peculiarly Fedoskino version of a classic folk tale. Here she takes life, inspiring the vivid reactions of her parents and the villagers. References: Malakhov, op. cit., plate 123; Maxym, op. cit., pp. 51-54.
KINELEV, E.
The Merchant-Peddlers: Vanka and Katya
Fedoskino, Russia, 1992
Molded and footed lacquered box with hinged cover, the box overall black with gilt friezes on cover and on middle panel of sides, the interior lacquered red, the cover painted in oils with gold leaf and metallic powders. The box 5.0 x 18.2 x 12.0 cm (2 x 7-1/4 x 4-5/8 in.) overall. The painting inscribed in Cyrillic, “C. Fedoskino – 1987r.,” lower left, and signed “Kinelev E.” lower right. Condition: Crazing and slight scuffing on surface of painting, slight edge wear on feet, overall in excellent condition notwithstanding the surface crazing, the painting overall very fine.
This example was painted by E. Kinelev. It depicts an introductory passage of a poem by Nikolai Nekrasov (1821-1878) in which Katya takes a ring from Vanka, who vows to return after selling his wares. References: Armstrong, op. cit., p. 61, cf. plate p. [79]; Maxym, op. cit., p. 67.
KOLYADOVA, S.
The Frog Princess: the Marriage
Fedoskino, Russia, 1989
Molded lacquered box with hinged cover, the box overall black with gilt marbling on sides and inlaid silver frieze around bottom edge, the interior lacquered red, the cover painted in oils with gold leaf, metallic powders and inlaid mother-of-pearl. The box 3.2 x 10.1 x 8.0 cm (1-1/4 x 4-1/2 x 3-1/8 in.) overall. The painting inscribed in Cyrillic, “c. Fedoskino 1989,” lower left, titled “Tsarina lagushka” lower center and signed “Kolyadova S.V.” lower right. Condition: Slight crazing on surface of painting, overall in excellent condition, the painting overall very fine.
This example was painted by S. Kolyadova. It depicts the scene of the classic
fairy tale in which the Tsar’s three sons are married, Tsarevich Ivan
to the Frog Princess, who will become Vasilisa the Wise. References: Armstrong,
op. cit., p. 56; Maxym, op. cit., pp. 40-44.
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Price: $3,250, the group of four
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