Show all images on one page	#001230 Title: Oleg the Wise Artist: Veselov Mikhail Size: 7x5.5x5.5 Price : $850 SOLD!

Mikhail Veselov from Kholui is the artist who painted this marvelous box, all five sides of which are covered with different scenes from "Oleg the Wise". It is a poem by A. Pushkin, written in 1822 and based on a chronicle cited in the first volume of Nikolai Karamzin's "History of the Russian State". His legend is strengthened by a story about how his death came to pass. One day he met a soothsayer that foresaw his horse bringing him to his death. Upon hearing this prophecy he parted with his horse. One day when he went and found the remains of his most beloved horse a snake that slithered out of his horse's skull bit him. He died instantly, thus fulfilling the prophecy.
The scene on the box's lid shows the meeting of Oleg with the soothsayer who predicts his fatal death. The scenes on the box's sides show some key moments of the story. One of them shows Oleg caressing his steed and the warriors of his troop. The other one shows an old man who plays his guli (a sort of musical instrument) and sings songs about different bogatyrs, princes and their feats (now the texts of such songs are called "bylina"). May be he sings a song about Oleg the Wise while a maiden and a warrior listen to him attentively. The next scene shows Oleg the Wise and the warriors of his troop setting off for a campaign against enemies of Russia. The last scene shows the death of Oleg. The snake is shown wrapping around Oleg's leg, an artistic symbol that his fate is secure.
The colors taken from the artist's palette are bold and bright. Green, cream, and red colored paints make up the dominant spectrum in the composition. The artist uses gold and aluminum paint to highlight and detail portions of the composition like the warriors' armor, the characters' clothing, and the architecture.
The box is constructed out of high-grade paper-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the outside and red lacquer is used to paint the inside of the box. The edges of the lid are decorated with gold and aluminum beads. Almost the whole surface of the box's sides is covered with intricate gold and aluminum floral patterns, while the scenes decorating the sides are set into circles framed with gold beading. The lid is hinged from the top of the composition and the box rests on four legs. The work is signed with the artist's name, village, year (2004) and title. The similar inscription can be found on the interior of the lid with the addition that it is the original author's work.