Show all images on one page	#001127 Title: Tale of little hump-backed horse Artist: Novoselov Boris Size: 16x10.5x4 Price : $795 SOLD!

This vivid piece of radiant artistry was created by the talented Boris Novosiolov of Kholuy. The composition shows several scenes from the popular Russian fairy-tale "The Humpbacked Pony". The method of combining several scenes helps the artist to tell a complex story in one image. This is accomplished through the iconographic method of artistic application, which allows multiple elements of time and space to coexist on the same surface. The artist fills the composition with lots of action and detail.
In the center of the composition we can see the final episode of the story, which shows the wedding of Ivan and the Tsar-Maiden. The old greedy tsar is dead, and the populace of the kingdom wishes to make Ivan their Tsar and the beautiful Tsar-Maiden their Tsaritsa. The Tsar-Maiden hands the golden crown of a ruler over to Ivan, and all the people, standing nearby, welcome enthusiastically the new, young tsar. This central image is surrounded with several scenes, which show the previous happenings of the story. To the far right from the central image we can see Ivan, holding the golden feather of a firebird. Next to Ivan there is the Humpbacked Pony, who warns Ivan not to touch the feather otherwise trouble will come his way. Later this feather will cause Ivan's first errand to bring the firebird to the old, greedy tsar. To the left from the central scene Ivan rides his faithful pony, clasping to his bottom the Tsar-Maiden. It is the second errand that has been given to Ivan by the old tsar: to bring the beautiful Tsar-Maiden, whose mother is the Moon, and whose brother is the Sun into the palace. A little lower from this scene there is the tent with dinner and sweets inside that Ivan has erected to lure and capture the Tsar-Maiden. In the upper part of the composition there are three separate scenes, showing Ivan's travel to the Moon's crystal palace. One of them shows Ivan and his pony rising high into the sky on their way to the Moon's palace. The other scene shows the conversation of Ivan with the Moon inside her wonderful celestial palace, and the next one shows Ivan's descending on the earth. This unusual travel has been caused by the request of the Tsar-Maiden. She has asked Ivan to convey her greetings to her mother (the Moon) and her brother (the Sun), and to ask why they have been hiding from her for three days. Just below the scene that shows Ivan's descending, we can see another scene depicting the huge whale, the back of which is covered with forests, meadows and villages. This huge monster will help Ivan to fulfill his third errand: to bring the ring of Tsar-Maiden, lost somewhere on the bottom of the ocean. To the near right from the central image there is the scene showing Ivan's transformation into a handsome man. The Tsar-Maiden has ordered the old 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. And at last, in the center of the box, beneath the central scene we can see the main hero of this thrilling tale - The Humpbacked Pony.
Each scene has tremendous movement in color and action. The palette is very bold and bright. It is dominated by greens, yellows and blues. Gold paint is used to highlight almost every element of the composition. Novosiolov is able to blend architectural painting with story telling that is very captivating for the eye. The brushstrokes that attract the eye are very precise, solid, and move very smoothly between every different aspect in the composition.
The edges of the lid are decorated with gold scrollwork, which runs parallel to a line of gold beads. The sides of the box are adorned with the elegant gold swirling designs accented with aluminum beads.
The box is made out of paper-mache made. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The box has a hinge above the scene and rests on a small platform. Upon completing the work on this piece Novosiolov writes Kholuy, the title, and signs his name at the bottom of the scene. He does the same on the interior of the box, but adds that this work is an artistic original, and his personal signature.