Marianna Lukina painted ‘Yakut Still Life with Scales’ in 1997. She depicted traditional Yakut utensils - vessels, bowls, scales, boxes; many of them have been used in everyday life for centuries.

The three vessels on the left are called chorons. A choron resembles a wooden goblet on one stem or three stems. Chorons can be of different volume and size and are often adorned with decorative patterns. Usually, they are used for drinking kumis, a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare’s milk.

In the center of the picture there is a kitija, an oblong bowl, another major utensil in many Yakut homes. It is carved out of wood and decorated with ornamental patterns or silver and copper pendants. 

On the right side of the table there are old Yakut scales. They have only one weighing bowl, which is hung on a chain, and a weight on the opposite end. The weight is measured with the help of special notches on the iron stick. 

Lukina chose objects that are different in size but close in colour. The colour palette has similar shades of brown, gold, and terrene. The utensils stand on the table against a neutral light background; they are so close to each other that some of them overlap. This technique produces a more natural and vibrant image, as if someone has just scattered the items on the table.

These utensils were not only used in everyday life, they also symbolized the connection of generations. Previously, cookware would not change for decades: it was handed over from mother to daughter. Marianna Lukina looked for utensils that had their own history to tell, which helped her render a special atmosphere and the spirit of old household items in the still life.

Lukina is regarded as an artist who can think big and bold: although she paints in different genres, all her works display a special technique with free, textured strokes and meaningful colour.

The artist developed her individual style while studying at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after V.I. Surikov, in the workshop of Professor Tahir Salakhov. Marianna Lukina has become a recognized master in her own right. Her works are held in private collections and in museums in Russia and abroad.