Show all images on one page	#001244 Title: Magic pot Artist: Smirnova Vera Size: 18x12x4 Price : $795 SOLD!

Vera Smirnova of Palekh created this lacquer art masterpiece. She is part of a family of artists who are very well known in the village. Her sister, Tatyana paints exceptionally well and has a daughter Kseniya (Vera's niece), who also contributes tremendously to Palekh art and its evolution.
The tale entitled, "Swineherd," and written by Hans Christian Andersen has been depicted here. This tale tells about the capricious Princess who has been punished for her self-conceit and foolishness. On the left of the composition the beginning of the story is depicted. The poor Prince fallen in love with the capricious Princess presents her a nightingale that twitters tender melodies and a rose that has grown on the grave of his father. He makes these presents with all his heart in the hope of marrying the Princess. But the light-headed Princess disregards his good intensions and ridicules his presents. In the middle of the composition we can see an episode from the middle of this tale. Bitterly resentful Prince disguises himself as a poor man and takes a job at court of the Princess father. He becomes the Swineherd and intends to punish the Princess. To attract the Princess's attention, he invents different technical toys. One of them we can see here. It is the magic pot adorned with little jingling bells. When somebody decides cook dish in this pot, it starts singing an old song:
"Ah! dear Augustine!
All is gone, gone, gone!"
Moreover, if somebody looks at the steam rising from this pot, he can find out what meal is cooking at the moment in any house of the kingdom. The Swineherd shows this pot to the Princess and she wants to become its owner at any price. This price is very high