Show all images on one page	#008890 Title: Ruslan and Ludmila Artist: Kryukova Valentina Size: 9x14x3.5 Size (inches): 3.5x5.5x1.25 Price : $499 SOLD!

This box has been painted by established Palekh artist Valentina Kryukova. Valentina's mastery is at an all time high. This scene is a work of great skill and technical prowess.Her style we can easy call "old school" of Palekh style! Hard to find now!
The box depicts several scenes from the Pushkin's fairy-tale "Ruslan and Ludmila". The method of combining several scenes helps the artist to tell a complex story in one image. Major characters of the tale, Ruslan and Lyudmila, are in the center, a bold figures on a proud horse. A couple just join together after Ruslan has saved Lyudmila from the wizard Chernomor's palace where was hold as a prisoner.
At the top of the composition we can see one of the major battles -Chernomor vs. Ruslan. Long-beard wizard Chernomor can fly, Ruslan has catch his beard and has to fly with him over the palace, fluttering his beard around him.
The artist fills the scenes with lots of action and detail. The palette is quite diverse and she uses traditional for Palekh yellows, oranges, reds and cream tones to define the characters and the architecture, while dark greens and blues are used for the depiction of a surrounding landscape.
The lines are all precisely drawn and the figures well decorated. Gold is used to enhance the detailing, as is aluminum in subtle amounts. The composition is filled with a life force that the artist creates with expert transitioning, brushwork, and overall flow of the action in the scene!
The box is made of paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the piece while red lacquer completes the interior of the box. The lid is hinged from the top of the composition and the box rests on four small round legs Gold scrollwork frames the composition with an intricately managed design. A more intricate ornamentation pattern wraps around the sides of the box with aluminum accents within the floral pattern. It is signed with the artist's name, village of Palekh and year (2019).