The second volume published in the United States on an important twentieth century art form - Russian Lacquer Miniature Painting. Written by Lucy Maxym, an authority on Russian Lacquer, the book contains a comprehensive discussion of the techniques of the art as well as a history of the four villages where the artists live and work. Nineteen Russian legends and fairy tales, which are the inspiration for a majority of the paintings on the lacquer boxes and panels are illustrated with over one hundred exquisite full-color plates. ( )

In her second book devoted to the gorgeous art of Russian miniature lacquer painting, Lucy Maxym dispenses with any discussion of the artistic process itself (briefly covered in her introduction to the first volume), choosing instead to present more of the fairy tales and legends that have inspired the creators of these beautiful objects. As with the previous volume, each selection is illustrated with a number of lacquer pieces on which that story has been interpreted, making for a visual, as well as narrative treat. The tales themselves include many old favorites, among them:

Twelve Months, in which a young girl finds herself in the forest one bitterly cold winter night, sent forth by a cruel stepmother with the impossible task of finding snowdrops for her stepsister. This tale of a young girl and her encounter with the Twelve Months can be found in many Slavic traditions, and emphasizes the importance of virtue and respect...

The Scarlet Flower, in which a wealthy merchant must send his youngest and most beloved daughter to live with a terrible beast, in repayment for his foolish act of picking a beautiful scarlet flower. Readers will immediately recognize the story of Beauty and the Beast in this tale by Sergei Aksakov. Oddly, although Maxym does attribute other selections to their source (Pushkin, Lermontov), she doesn't mention the author of The Scarlet Flower.

Emelya and the Pike, in which the youngest of three brothers, known mostly for sitting atop the family stove, finds his fortunes take a decided turn for the better after his encounter with a magical pike.

The Princess and the Seven Bogatyrs, in which a jealous Tsaritza, determined to be the most beautiful woman in the world, sends her young stepdaughter into the forest to be eaten by wild animals. Naturally, the Tsarevna is not killed, but instead finds her way to the home of seven bogatyrs. But will she be safe there from her evil stepmother? An adaptation of the Brothers Grimm tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, by Russian poet Alexandr Pushkin, this work has also been published (in English) as The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights.

Silver Hoof, in which the old hunter Kokovania and his young adoptive daughter Daria encounter the magical deer Silver Hoof, whose tapping produces precious jewels. This story, written by Pavel Petrovich Bazkov, is said to come from the folklore of the Ural Mountain region, although Maxym does not specify which culture.

The Seven Semeons, in which seven brothers, each named Semeon, and each with a special skill, help win the hand of Elena the Fair for their Tsar. This particular fairy tale has also been retold by Boris Artzybasheff in a gorgeous picture book, Seven Simeons.

Fenist the Falcon, in which Maria, the youngest of three daughters, must seek for her enchanted love when the actions of her jealous sisters send him away. Wearing out three pairs of iron shoes, breaking three iron staffs, and eating three iron loaves in the course of her journey, Maria also encounters Baba Yaga - the famed forest witch of Russian folklore - three times, before she finally wins back her love.

The Flying Ship, in which the proverbial youngest brother, good of heart but not too bright, finds his virtue rewarded when an old beggar instructs him in how to create a flying ship. But will Ivan, with the help of the many companions he picks up on the way to the Tsar's palace, be able to overcome the Tsar's challenges, and win the hand of the princess? This tale reminded me very strongly of Verna Aardema's retelling of the Mexican folktale, The Riddle of the Drum, in which a young man wins the king's daughter with the help of the companions he encounters on his journey.

The Tale of the Young Guard and the Merchant Kalashnikov, in which the young oprichnik Kiribeyevich unwisely accosts the wife of the merchant Kalashnikov, and pays the ultimate price, when he is challenged to personal combat. Based upon the poem by Mikhail Lermontov, this story has all the power of tragedy...

Sivka-Burka, in which Ivan - another third son - sits at his father's grave for three nights, and is rewarded with the services of the enchanted horse, Sivka-Burka, whose mighty strength helps him win the hand of the Tsar's daughter.

Maria Morevna, in which young Tsar Ivan must seek for his lost bride, Maria Morevna, when his careless betrayal of a promise results in her abduction by the giant, Koshchei the Deathless. Assisted by his three brothers-in-law - the falcon, the eagle and the raven - Ivan must eventually brave the presence of the terrible witch Baba Yaga, in order to win the steed necessary to rescue Maria. This intricate wonder-tale is almost identical to the Lithuanian tale, The Sun Princess and Her Deliverer.

This entertaining selection of fairy tales is followed by a brief discussion of other figures and legends - imaginary and historical - that have commonly been depicted by the lacquer artists. These include: The Three Kingdoms; Sleeping Beauty; the Boyan (storyteller); Pushkin; The Mighty Bogatyrs (Ilya Murometz, Dobrinya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich); Solovey Budimirovich; Volkh Vseslavyevich; Nikita Kozhemyaka; Churillo Plenkov; Mikula Selyaninovich; Stepan Razin; Oleg the Wise; Peter the Great; Alexander Nevsky; Dimitry Donskov; and Boris Godunov. Each entry is paired with a brief explanation, and an example of a lacquer box on which that figure/legend is portrayed. ( )