Tale of a little Hump-backed horse

The box shows Ivan coming over the Huge Whale riding his faithful Humpbacked Pony. The Whale's back is covered with forests, meadows and villages. This monster helps Ivan to find the ring of Tsar Maiden lost on the ocean bottom.
Ivan and the Whale arrange a deal: Ivan has to find out why the Whale is punished and suffers loaded with villagers, having no possibility to swim like other fish; while the Whale has to find the ring. To find out the reason of the Whale's suffering, Ivan and his pony rise high into the sky to the Moon's palace. The Moon tells Ivan that the Whale is punished because he has swallowed many ships.
With masterful use of pallet and stroke, the artist has created action and motion in her work. The positioning and detailing of each character is beautifully executed with precision and lifelike blending. Gold and aluminum paint is used to finely highlight the entire scene.
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 box's exterior is decorated with intricate gold and aluminum patterns. The lid is hinged from the top of the scene, and the box rests on four legs. The work is signed with the artist's name, 2008 and the village of Palekh.