Gorgeous Russian Fedoskino Lacquer Papier-mâché Box - Tsarevna Lyagushka (Princess Frog)

Some of you might be familiar with these stunning Russian boxes, but few know the story of their origins. It actually began over 200 years ago...
It began in a town called Fedoskino, from which our box hails. They began developing the techniques that would spawn Russian lacquer boxes in the late 1600s. Fedoskino was the center of the art of creating religious icons (highly-sought-after paintings of religious symbols and characters). Having developed some truly breathtaking painting techniques (including using liquified precious metals such as gold and silver and painting with a single hair follicle for some of the most spectacular detail I've ever come across), it was the natural birthplace of these stunningly intricate boxes. Starting in the 1800s, they were made specifically of a papier-mâché base. This would take approximately 6 weeks to complete and would include a base of linseed oil, rendering it impervious to moisture. This method also ensured a stable base that would not warp and does not change size due to temperature changes. Then, the painting process would begin. First, it passes through the hands of an apprentice who ensures a smooth base of colour - the interior is painted bright red and the exterior a deep black. When the masters get their hands on these pieces is when the magic begins. Using a magnifying glass, in many cases, and the richest and brightest pigments available, the master painter applied the stunning colours and textures you see here. The signature along the bottom and the glowing halo around the frog's crown are the most obvious places, but you can see the application of precious metals throughout the piece. There are small accents along the branches painted in gold, the gentleman's coat is adorned with golden-painted flowers and all of the crown's halo is pure silver. The detail is just staggering. In the 1800s, 4 towns emerged as the leaders of papier-mâché lacquer boxes, each of which specializing in their own methods and styles. As such, one can tell apart the pieces based on their colours and textures, as well as the methods of applying these magnificent pigments. Kholui, Palekh, Fedoskino and Mstyora are the 4 towns in question and they still produce these stunning pieces, although after the fall of the USSR in 1991, their quality waned. The popularity of these boxes skyrocketed with international recognition and, naturally and most-unfortunately, resulted a ton of counterfeits and fakes. Luckily, manufacturers of fake pieces are not patient, so the box itself doesn't go through the rigours of proper papier-mâché manufacture. The fakes are made of plastic or resin, so they're easily identified. Firstly, one could find a slight grid pattern on the base, indicating a machine-made box. The linseed oil base would start to settle after 6 months or so, releasing a distinct odour, so the interior has a definite 'antique' smell to it, nearly impossible to replicate with a resin box. The weight of the fake boxes would be significantly heavier, as well - papier-mâché was very light. The texture of the box would easily reveal the content, as well. One must simply tap or flick the bottom of the box. If there's a sharp sound or a click, it's not the genuine article. Papier-mâché boxes sound muted, almost soft, when tapped. Lastly and most-importantly, we must examine the image itself. Is there the depth that comes with layers of meticulous application of lacquer? A magnifying glass is very useful in finding these imperfections and identifying a fake. Luckily, our box checks all the right boxes and its originality is not in question. These pieces (of which C&K is lucky to have 2) were imported by my family over 30 years ago, brought to this country by my grandfather's own hands, from the original artisan.
The artistic merit of the piece is no longer in question, nor is the origins of this stunning, hinged box, but who's that man? Why's that frog wearing a crown? This traditional Russian tale is not your run-of-the-mill Mother Goose story. Russian fairy tales (much like most Scandinavian and Slavic tales) are filled with sadness, gore and death. They don't follow our tale-telling rules and as such, haven't gained much popularity in the Western world. The story of these two varies. The origins are possibly Italian, as one of the first published stories about these ill-fated lovers was by Italo Calvino, an Italian fairy tale author, in the mid-50s. However, there are versions that hail from Greece, as well. As such, there are a multitude of versions of this particular tale. Rather than explain the variations, I will regale you with the most popular Russian version:
The King wants his 3 sons to marry. They're dragging their feet, so he comes up with a test. They are to stand in the woods and fire an arrow in different directions. Where the arrow lands, states the King, is where you'll find your bride. The youngest son's name is Ivan and although his brothers' arrows landed in the homes of local gentry with handsome daughters, Ivan's arrow lands in the mouth of a frog. Little does he know, the frog is an enchanted princess. The Frog Princess, named Vasilisa the Wise, is a beautiful, intelligent, friendly and skilled young woman who was forced to spend 3 years in a frog's skin for disobeying Koschei (Koschei is an archetypal male protagonist in Russian folklore, also referred to as 'the Deathless' or 'the Immortal'). When the princess sheds her skin to conduct one of the many tests asked of her and her 2 bridal counterparts, Ivan takes his opportunity and burns the skin away. Had he been patient, the princess would have turned into a real princess, given time, but in his impatience, he loses her. He must travel to Baba Yaga (a tradition Russian witch character, twisted and old, who lived in a house deep in the woods, standing on chicken legs - I told you these stories were weird) to ask her to return his beloved. But Baba Yaga, the evil old witch, turns her into various animals before sending him on to her sister, who does exactly the same thing - turns her into various creatures including a lizard. After the second sister fails, he's sent to a third sister who turns the princess into a bird, where she remained trapped, forever. Nice, huh?
As for our box, it's nothing short of stunning. Although I'm partial to Kholui methods, the detail and colours in this piece are just staggering. The gold and silver I mentioned is used liberally, in this example, to make it seem like the entire piece is glowing. It's almost as if the image is under perpetual spotlight, it's so bright. Only with a magnifying glass can you truly appreciate the image and the gold and silver accents (there's even tiny flecks of gold in the pine tree, behind Ivan), even the rocks on which he is sitting is liberally painted in gold. I can't articulate the beauty of this piece and can only hope my pictures and video do it justice. Luckily, the slip inside concretely identifies our beautiful little box:

'Made in the Village of Fedoskino
Miniature No. 9, Tsarevna Lyagushka (Princess Frog), price 25 Rubles 50 Kopeks. Diploma First Degree, Fedoskinskaya Fabrika (Fedoskino Factory)'

A simply stunning piece of Russian folk history and art, this would be a wonderful addition to your current collection or a beautiful piece of art to appreciate for decades to come.

As always, please don't hesitate to send any questions or comments. They're always appreciated and responded-to almost immediately.

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