Show all images on one page	#009335 Title: Tale of Emelya and Magic Pike Artist: Molodkin Vladimir Size: 26x20x21.5 Size (inches): 10.25x7.75x8.5 Price : $4200 SOLD!

Famous Mstera Master, Vladimir Molodkin, who painted this large five-sided casket, has a very distinct style that can immediately be recognized by the minute details and his color usage. The palette incorporates a myriad of bright paints from the cool and warm ends of the spectrum. He uses them in perfect harmon, alternating tones and hues in all the right places. Almost every element of the composition is abundantly detailed with gold paint!
The subject of the composition is based on the popular Russian folk tale "Tale of Emelya and Magic Pike" or "By the Pike's Will".
In short, this tale is about a young man who finds a special fish when he goes to get water from the river. In return for releasing her, the Magic Pike offers to fulfill Emelia's wishes. Being a lazy fellow, Emelya light-heartedly uses magic forces, asking the pike to help him to perform his chores while he relaxes. He orders his water-pails to go home by itself, which they do, much to the surprise of his sisters-in-law. Then he orders the sledge to go by itself to the nearest forest where his ax falls wood for the fire. Afterwards he gets to the tsar's palace, riding a stove. In the palace he meets the tsar's daughter and falls in love with her. The tale ends happily and finally Emelya marries the tsar's daughter.
All the sides and a lid are showing these interesting episodes! The very beggining- Emelya has catch the magic pike by a backle in a frozen river. Another side showing how by the pike's will, the backles full of water are going by themselves home and impresses the villagers on the street. One more side shows how an axe start cutting the fire wood in chops without any human help...Then we can see how Emely laying on a stove is going to the Tsar's palace on this stove...without horses or any other power!!! The scene depicted on the box's lid shows a happy ending: wedding Party of Emelya with the Tsar's daughter, who became his wife.
The dominated colors are very soft and the tonality is subdued to convey the frozen sense of winter. The artist uses gold paint to accent the composition and make a viewer want to be attracted to it. Every detail is delicately manipulated for a great overall effect. This painting is full of life and prove that Mstera artists are masters at bringing it to their works.
The box is made out of paper-mache. Black lacquer covers the exterior and red lacquer covers the interior of the box. Molodkin decorates the exterior with gold ornamentation and ornament with snowmen can be found on the edges of the lid.
The box has a hinge above the major scene on a lid and rests on four feet. The artist writes the title and his signature at the edge of the lid.The name of the work is signed over the gold and the name of the artist in blue colors below the floral ornament.