Hand-painted Santa on Russian black Lacquer used as necklace. Festive and Fun

I used a Russian lacquer pin from the 1990's to make an unusual necklace. Few people wear brooches anymore but the stunning beauty in these hand painted pieces should not go unworn. The painted detail is amazing and wonderfully festive for Winter and Christmas. I used complimentary black onyx beads to both string the pin and for matching earrings. I did not remove the brooch pin as doing so damages the lacquer item ( i know because I broke one previously).I added a silver bail to make it a pendant The subject is Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), the Russian Santa Claus, Unlike the bloated, red-coated father Christmas of the West, Russia’s Santa Claus, known as Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), is slender with a wizard-like flowing beard and he wears a long robe that comes in different colors. (blue, red, white). He is assisted not by elves, but by his beautiful granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow Maiden). His sleigh is powered not by reindeers, but three steely horses. See other listings for the Snow maiden or the three horses on Russian lacquer Russian lacquer art was developed from the art of icon painting, which came to an end with the collapse of Imperial Russia. The icon painters, who previously had been employed by supplying not only churches but people's homes, needed a way to make a living. Thus, the craft of making papier-mâché decorative boxes, panels and pins developed, the items were lacquered and then hand painted by the artists, often with scenes from folk tales