Featured A portrait, painted on a wooden egg

Hi,
I was told at the time of purchase, that this lady was actually hand- painted. The previous owner said she bought it many years ago.
I'm unsure if this is true as many eggs sold in Prague are decorated by transfers.
I have a couple of questions that I'd like to ask, in the hope that someone more knowledgeable than myself, can answer.

1. How can one tell if it's hand painted?
2. Who is this lovely lady?
3. Can anyone translate Czech?

Thanks in advance

 

It is actually Russian but that is all I can say. Many of these lacquer items were made in Palech and other villages in the Soviet era and later.

 

Ah ok , thanks.
The lady was told at the time she purchased it, that it was hand-painted. I'm hopeful, it was.

 

It actually looks like a boy to me.

 

It's beautiful. I'd say boy too- looks handpainted folk art to me.

 

Looks as if it might be inspired by a period painting. Something like this.

Debora

 

I wasn't thinking boy, until I looked around the edges and saw the rest of the hat.... then it made more sense.....agreeing it looks more like a boy!! And, yes, it also looks hand painted too!!

 

It never occurred to me that it could be a boy, but yes, now that you've mentioned it, I agree.

I do love it, I think it's beautiful!

I wonder what its value could be?

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

Actually I think the title is "Girl with Hat"...

 

Got the original painting: https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/01.+paintings/37984

 

Oh, isn't she lovely! (Never seen her before.) And a painting from The Hermitage makes sense.

Debora

 

Yey!!!!!! So happy you've found her!
I was showing the egg to friends this afternoon and noticed that the hat actually had flowers attached to the left, realised that it was in fact a young lady.

Thank you so much for finding the original painting. I was told it was hung in a museum somewhere, but couldn't find it.

 

I also realise, when comparing the two, that the egg looks beautifully hand painted.

Feeling very lucky to have such a beautiful work of art.

 

I think both the painting's and the artist's name are identified on the egg. Here's The Hermitage link in Russian for comparison. You'll see that the artist's name (Вуаль) appears on both.

https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/01. paintings/37984?lng=ru

Debora

 

I don't understand what the translation for the other words mean? Maybe, it means that the hand painting on the egg is a replica of the named artist? I would be dumbfounded if it was actually painted by the same artist! One lives in hope! lol

 

The artist of the work was Jean-Louis Voille. He died in 1804. You have a little recent-ish souvenir from St. Petersburg, Russia. The artist's name is likely on the line that begins with the letter "H."

Debora

 

Hmmm, Just a tad more recent hahahaha!
Thank you so much for your feed back.
It's so lovely to learn more about it. I fell in love with it, when I first saw it.

 

It's a pretty thing. Enjoy your egg.

Debora

 

I do, thank you

 

Most Russian lacquerware is hand painted, by artists who are employed by the companies who make the items. There are some individual artists who don't work for big companies who do them, too.

The name of the original artist and the name of the painting are what is in the long line of text. Under that, under the hole, is the word "Russia" and also the name of the person who painted the egg: N. Okutina. Most of the artists who painted lacquerware are identified only by their first initial and surname. In this case, no city of manufacture is given, so it's unknown if this was from a big company, or whether it's an individual artist.

I didn't see this one earlier, or would have chimed in! I think it's beautiful.