#003703 Title: Tale of a Tsar Sultan Artist: Dobrina Olga Size: 24x18x4.5 Size (inches): 9.5x7x1.75 Price: $950

This large box is a creation of Olga Dobrina whose unique painting style is always easy to recognize. Olga likes to paint her boxes on the themes of Russian fairy-tales and bylinas. Here she has chosen to depict a final scene from “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” written in verse by Pushkin.
In the center of the box the artist has painted the feast arranged in Gvidon's palace to celebrate his family reunion. The palace is defended by thirty-three knights with their uncle old Chernomor drawn from the left and right of the central scene. From the right of the central scene we can also see the squirrel that all day long shells golden nuts with emeralds inside.
The palette is based on contrast colors. The characters and the buildings are painted in warm brown, orange and red tones, whereas the surrounding landscape is painted in cold emerald green tones. Gold and silver paints are used to paint the armor of the knights; gold paint also helps to detail the costumes of all characters, architecture and some other minor elements. Dobrina's skill as an artist is further demonstrated on the rich gold ornamentation that adorns the box's exterior.
The box is constructed from paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the box while red lacquer completes the interior of the work. The lid is hinged from the top of the composition, and the box rests on four legs. At the bottom of the composition Dobrina has written her name, Kholui and the title (“The Tale of Tsar Saltan, his son, Prince Gvidon, and the beautiful Princess Swan”).