Show all images on one page	#003923 Title: Tale of the Firebird Artist: Tikhomirov Valentin Size: 12x12x15 Size (inches): 4.75x4.75x6 Price : $1250 SOLD!

This large, multi-scened box is a wonderful creation of the famous Mstera artist Valentin Tikhomirov. The work is called "The Firebird", and shows some recognizable episodes from the popular Russian fairy-tale "Ivan Tsarevich and the Grey Wolf". The story tells about the adventures of the Prince Ivan Tsarevich and his companion the Grey Wolf, a magician. Tsarevich saved the Wolf's cubs and the Wolf helped him in several quests: to get a fire bird, to get a horse with a golden mane, and to get a beautiful princess.
The box's left side shows the moment when the old tsar gives his three sons the task to catch the thief that filches golden apples from his garden. On the box's front side we can see Ivan Tsarevich stealing the Fire Bird from Tsar Afron's palace. The box's rear side depicts Ivan Tsarevich stealing the horse with the golden mane Tsar Kusman's palace and on the right side we can see Ivan Tsarevich stealing the princess, Elena the Beautiful, from Tsar Dalmat's palace. The box's lid shows the end of the tale: Ivan Tsarevich returns to his kingdom with the firebird, the magic horse and the beautiful princess accompanied by his faithful friend, the Grey Wolf.
The box's exterior is decorated with luxuriant ornamentation that makes Tikhomirov's boxes uniquely his own. This ornamentation is painted in gold and bright tempera paints.
The box is made out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. The lid is hinged, and the box rests on legs. The work is singed with the artist's name, the title and the year.