Tale of a Frog Princess

This small box has been painted by the talented Palekh artist Kut'kin Anatoliy.
The composition shows a scene from the popular Russian fairy-tale "Princess Frog". A powerful Tsar noticed that it was time for his three sons to be wed. He summoned them all at once and told them to each fire a single arrow into the air. The closest maiden to each fallen arrow would become that son's wife. Ivan and his two brothers shoot arrows into the air to find their future brides. A frog catches Ivan's arrow and this is who he is obligated to marry.
The composition is painted in the traditional Palekh style. The artist did a wonderful job in the development of texture. The leaves of the trees twinkle like the coins in a treasure chest. This is due to the consistent use of bubbling golden contours. Ivan's clothes have been highlighted in this manner as well. As a genre scene, this Russian lacquer miniature couldn't be more appealing.
An elegant ornament of golden dots frames the composition. The sides of the box are adorned with the spectacular gold ornament with silver flowers.
The box is constructed from papier-mache. Black lacquer is used to paint the exterior of the box while red lacquer completes the interior. The lid is hinged to the left and the box rests on four small round legs. The box is signed with the artist's name, village and year (2004).