Show all images on one page	#008685 Sale! Title: Tale of Emelya and the Magic Fish / By the Pike's Will Artist: Kritova Galina Size: 15x6x3 Size (inches): 6x2.25x1.25 Price: $275 $250

This small box was painted by a well-known Palekh artist, Galina Kritova. It shows a scene from the popular Russian fairy-tale "By the Pike's Will" or "Emelya and the Magic Pike".
In short, this tale is about a young man who has catch 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 Emelya marries the tsar's daughter.
On this scene we can see how Emelya came to the Tsar's Palace riding the stove and charmimg Tsar's daughter by his play on balalayka.
Egg-tempera paint is the main medium used to paint this composition. The palette is based in blues and reds that make complementary combinations throughout the scene. Gold and silver are used to highlight and detail of the composition, but its sparkle naturally enhances the great depth and epic mood set by the theme!
The box is made out of paper-mache. The interior of the box is red, while the exterior is covered with white lacquer, which came to look like yellow after covering with oil-based lacquer. The lid is not hinged, and the box rests flat.
Tiny gold ornament frames the composition. The sides of the box are decorated with ornamentation painted in gold, blue and silver paints. Upon completing the work on this piece the artist writes Palekh, 1993, and signs her name in the bottom of the composition.