Show all images on one page	#009398 Sale! Title: Emelya and the Magic Pike Artist: Nikolaev Alexander Size: 10x8x7.5 Size (inches): 4x3.25x3 Price: $395 $335

This small and detailed five-sided casket was painted by a talented Palekh artist Alexander Nikolaev. Each side and the lid are showing different scenes from the popular Russian fairy-tale "By the Pike's Will" or "Emelya and the magic Pike".
In short, this tale is about a young lad who has catch a special fish when he goes to get water from the river. In return for releasing her, the Magic Pike offers to fulfill Emelia's wishes. Being a lazy fellow, Emelya light-heartedly uses magic forces, asking the pike to help him to perform his chores while he relaxes. He orders his water-pails to go home by itself, which they do, much to the surprise of his sisters-in-law. Then he orders the sledge to go by itself to the nearest forest where his ax falls wood for the fire. Afterwards he gets to the tsar's palace, riding a stove. In the palace he meets the tsar's daughter and falls in love with her. The tale ends happily and Emelya marries the tsar's daughter.
On this casket we can see recognizible moments of a tale: Emely is catching the magic Pike by a buckle; the stove is moving without horses and bringing Emelya to the Tsar's Palace; and an ax by the pike's will is cut the chops for a fire wood and the sleigh are moving them with Emelya home; and happy end with a marrige of the Tsar's daughter.
The work is a good example of intricate Palekh art. The greens and blues become electric, the reds and oranges passionate. Hair thin gold and silver accents have been used extensively throughout the compositions adding rich luminescence and delicacy to the piece.
The box's lid and base are decorated with a golden dot ornament, more intricate pattern can be found on the sides of a lid.
The casket is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the piece while red lacquer completes the interior of the work. The lid is hinged, and the box rests on two platforms.
The artist wrote his name, and the village name of Palekh along the bottom of the composition on a lid in gold paint.