Show all images on one page	#002239 Title: A Little Hump-backed Horse Artist: Strunin Konstantin Size: 30x10x6 Size (inches): 12x4x2.5 Price : $950 SOLD!

This piece was painted by the Konstantin Strunin.
The work features several scenes from the tale "Humpbacked Little Pony" written in verse by Peter Yershov. This tale is based on the Russian folk fairy-tale "Sivka-Burka".
In the far background from the left side of the composition the artist depicts the very beginning of the tale. Ivan finds the golden feather of a firebird that becomes the reason of series of errands given him by the old greedy tsar. He is obliged to catch the firebird, to steal the beautiful Tsar Maiden, to fetch the Tsar-Maiden's ring, lost somewhere on the bottom of the ocean, to bathe in boiling and ice cold water. In the left bottom corner we can see the tsar sending Ivan and his friend Humpbacked Little Pony to fulfill some of these errands.
In the middle there is a huge whale whose back is covered with forests, meadows and villages. This monster helps Ivan to find the ring of Tsar Maiden lost on the ocean bottom. Ivan and the whale arrange a deal: Ivan has to find out why the while is punished and suffers loaded with villagers, having no possibility to swim like other fish; while the while has to find the ring. To find out the reason of the whale's suffering, Ivan and his pony rise high into the sky to the Moon's palace. The Moon tells Ivan that the whale is punished because he has swallowed many ships. Just above the whale there are the Moon and the Sun who are the parents of the Tsar Maiden.
In the far background from the right side of the composition the artist depicts the final part of the tale. Here we can see the tsar sitting on his throne, and to the right from him there are three cauldrons of boiling water, boiling milk and ice cold water. After bathing in these cauldrons the tsar died, while Ivan transformed into a handsome man. To the left from these scenes we can see the happy end of the tale. Ivan is the ruler of the kingdom, and the husband of Tsar Maiden.
The palette is dark; Strunin uses very warm tones blended mainly with brown. The action is very tightly drawn within the area of the lid. Gold is used to highlight and outline the composition.
The decorative elements of this piece take the term impressive to another level. Intricate floral patterns encompass the lid's composition. This entire assembly of advanced vegetation is made entirely out of gold paint. A more complex and big floral pattern is noticed around all four sides of the box.
The box is constructed from quality paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The box is hinged from the top of the scene, and rests on four legs. The work is signed, dated (2006) and titled ("Huge Whale-Monster" based on Yershov's tale "Humpbacked Little Pony") by the artist on the box's exterior bottom.