Show all images on one page	#002195 Title: Pushkin's fairytales Artist: Tikhomirov Valentin Size: 10.5x8x10 Size (inches): 4x3x4 Price : $975 SOLD!

Valentin Tikhomirov of Mstera is the artist who painted this box called "Pushkin's Tales". It is a five-sided box and he paints five different occurrences on each side. He also leaves his trademark decorations on the box, in between the scenes. On the lid he paints Alexander Pushkin who is considered to be the founder of Russian poetry. He sits under the tree and writes his thrilling tales. Around the sides there are four scenes from various Pushkin's tales.
The front side features a scene from "The Tale of Tsar Saltan". Tsar Saltan has arrived to the wondrous island to see its miracles. He has listened many stories about the squirrel that shells golden nuts with emerald kernels inside, thirty-three knights who are ready to rise from the raging sea to defend the island, and certainly the beautiful Princess Swan. Now he is met by Prince Gvidon, his wife, Princess Swan, and his mother.
The left side displays a scene from "Ruslan and Luydmila". Ruslan accompanied by his rivals: Rogdai, Ratmir and Farlaf, sets out in search of Lyudmila kidnapped by the wicked wizard Chernomor. The right side shows a scene from "The Sleeping Princess". Seven bogatyrs leave the Sleeping Princess at home intending to hunt in the depths of the forest. The servant of the Queen, waits for the moment when the Princess will be alone, planning to poison her.
The rear side depicts a scene from "The Tale of Golden Cockerel". It shows several episodes from the tale. The cockerel sitting on the top of the tower crows to warn the tsar of approaching danger. Instead of defending his kingdom, he proposes marriage the Shemakha Queen (this scene is painted in the background). In the foreground Tsar Dadon returns to his kingdom with the Shemakha Queen intending to marry her. He is stopped by the astrologer who asks to fulfill his wish. His wishes to marry the Shemakha Queen instead of Tsar Dadon.
Tikhomirov's palette is very distinct, which helps to make his style original among his peers in Mstera. The colors are bold and brightly display each scene as a crucial fixture on the box's body. Each scene on the box is filled to the brim with movement and animation in the characters and landscape. The brushwork is superb. Gold paint is used to detail only a scene painted on the front side ("The Tale of Tsar Saltan").
Each of the curved sides of the lid features a portrait of one of Pushkin's characters including the Princess Swan, the Sleeping Princess, Lyudmila and the Shemakha Queen.
The ornamentation around the box is nothing short of spectacular. The artist fills solid areas of the decoration with mustard and blue tempera paints, while outlining them with gold. The vine like configuration of the designs twists and moves across the box gracefully. He also paints gold ornamentation without using temperas, which appears at the box's border around the bottom.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the piece while a radiant red lacquer completes the interior of the box. The box has a hinge above the scene on the lid and rests on four carved feet. The work is signed and titled by the artist.