Show all images on one page	#001893 Title: Tale of a Little Humpbacked Horse Artist: Shavirin B. Size: 15.5x14x4 Size (inches): 6x5.5x1.5 Price : $425 SOLD!

This bright colorful box was painted by B. Shavirin from the village of Fedoskino. It shows a scene from the popular Russian fairy-tale "The Humpbacked Pony". This thrilling tale tells about the adventures of the tsar's servant, Ivan, and his faithful friend, the Humpbacked Pony. The capricious and self-willed tsar obliges Ivan to carry out very difficult tasks. The Humpbacked Pony helps Ivan in each difficult situation, and Ivan successfully fulfills the tsar's orders. This scene shows the end of the story when Ivan transformed into a handsome man fulfilling his last task. The Tsar-Maiden has ordered the tsar to dip himself in three cauldrons of boiling water, boiling milk and ice cold water in order to regain his youth. But the coward tsar, in his turn, has ordered Ivan to be the first to jump into the boiling water. Having undergone this severe trial, Ivan emerges from the last cauldron as an extremely handsome young man, whereas the old tsar, who also decides to test the magic, is boiled alive.
The scene is painted in bright oil paints. Gold metal leaf is used to create the golden mane and the tail of Humpbacked Pony, and also to decorate the costumes of Ivan, the Tsar, and the Tsar Maiden (she stands behind Ivan's back). Mother-of-pearl is used to create the depth of the sky, the brilliance of water in the cauldron, and the lustrous texture of the Tsar Maiden's sarafan and the Tsar's robe. The chain depicted in the foreground is depicted with the help of aluminum paint.
Beautiful gold filigree patterns frame the composition, and decorate the edges of the box's lid. The similar ornamentation adorns the box's sides. For additional decoration the artist covered the exterior of the box (except the base) with patches of golden dust. The base of the box is left black, and covered with black lacquer, the interior of the box is traditionally red.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. The box has a hinge above the scene and rests on a flat base. It is signed with the artist's name, the village of Fedoskino, the title and the year (2005).