Encaustic painting (from the Ancient Greek ἐγκαυστική — “the art of burning in”) is a technique which uses pigmented wax. Its history spans three millennia. The composition of paints, in addition to wax, includes resin, oil and coloring pigment. By changing the proportions, paints of different consistency can be achieved, depending on one’s intentions.
This technique is much more complicated than using tempera, but encaustic paintings are bright and durable, and are little affected by changes in humidity and temperature.
Before starting work, the artist prepares paints of a certain density and all the necessary shades, because it is impossible to mix them on the palette. For works in this technique, only a solid base, such as plaster or wood, is suitable. The melted paints are applied to the base with a brush and a special blade, and the strokes should be quick and confident so that the wax does not have time to harden. To use another set of paints, an open-flame device should be at hand.
The encaustic technique was known to ancient painters of Egypt, Rome and Greece; it was used in Fayum portraits and some early Byzantine icons. Tempera and oil supplanted encaustic painting. It was only in the 1930s that “punic wax” was rediscovered in Europe by Fritz Feiss and Hans Schmidt.
In 1936, the Russian artist and restorer Vasily Veniaminovich Khvostenko developed his own hot wax painting technique. He passed the secret of ancient painting on to his daughter Tatiana Vasilyevna.
The protagonist of the painting is the heroine of folk tales and a play by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky. The Snow Maiden, the daughter of Moroz (Frost) and Spring-Beauty, was deprived of heart warmth and the ability to understand human feelings. Her longing for people and the desire to comprehend love and joy led to her death, but the finale of the play is not tragic. The wise Berendey, the ruler of the fairy kingdom, understands that the Snow Maiden was beautiful, but she still violated the laws of nature, and now peace and harmony will be restored in the forest.
The fabulous effect of the painting is enhanced by a light layer of gold leaf.
The Borisovka Museum of Local History received this work from the artist herself, Tatiana Vasilyevna Khvostenko.
