Lel the Shepherd Boy Pano [Lipetsk]

Lel the Shepherd Boy (Лель пастушок). Lel, the shepherd boy is centered sitting in a clearing while he plays angelic melodies which soothe the fox at his feet. Painted in the last quarter of the 20th century, the detailed image is replete with iconographic detail. The colors are primary, and the boy wears a red cloak, or robe. The artist has chosen to imitate religious icon painting with her depiction of unusual flora. This religious feeling was sublimated, as the time period when this was painted, did not allow overt religious imagery. Lel is one of the main characters in the fairy tale The Snow Maiden. Other characters, besides Lel, include Tsar Berendey, Snegurochka's friend Coupova, daughter of a wealthy settler, Mizgir, a merchant from afar who rejects Coupova for Snegurochka, and her kindly parents Bobyl-Bakula and his wife Maria, who adopt Snegurochka. There is even a Sprite of the Forest in the story. 

A Lipetsk painting on a large (13¾" x 8¼") papier-mache panel (pano). Signed and titled at the bottom. In good condition with a chip (see image) 1 only, as shown. Note: condition reflected in the price.

 A word about Lipetsk.