Show all images on one page	#002279 Title: The Amusement of a Tsar Artist: Shelukhin Mikhail Size: 26.5x19.5x7.5 Size (inches): 10.5x7.75x3 Price : $3900 SOLD!

The established Fedoskino artist Mikhail Shelukhin has created a wonderful presentation of his ability that you will be able to enjoy for years to come. This composition is a celebration of Russian artistry.
The cheerful scene features amusement of the young tsar. One of his servants plays a role of a jester. He crawls on all fours imitating a horse, while another man sits on his back imitating a rider. The tsar and his servants laugh heartily looking at this funny scene. Such kind of pastime was common at court of different tsars in ancient Russia as then there was no television or radio, or any other sort of modern invention that could relieve a tsar's leisure hours. It's known that Peter the Great had an enormous staff of jesters and jokers both male and female.
Shelukhin has interestingly designed the scene setting it into a wide impressive frame painted in blue oils and detailed with shiny golden leaf. To paint it he has used a wide range of bold and bright colors. An explosion of delightful energy. Lustrous gold leaf intensifies and illuminates the crown of the tsar, the kokoshnik of the girl depicted from the left of the tsar, the apron of the girl painted close to the left bottom corner of the scene, and ornaments of the costumes of the characters. Mother-of-peal is inlaid in the portions of the scene where the costume of the tsar and the sarafan of the girl depicted from the left of him are located. Aluminum powder is used highlight separate areas of the scene.
The sides of the box are decorated with the band of ornamentation that looks like sky blue marble. It is composed of blue and gold metal blurry spots scattered against the black background. Gorgeous.
The box is made out of paper-mache. The lid is hinged from the left of the composition and the box rests on four legs. Signed with the name of the artist, the village of Fedoskino, and the year of 2005 at the bottom of the scene.