Featured Hand tooled leather covered box with painted scene top.

This is an interesting box... hand tooled leather with a dragon on the front - carved and painted scene on top of some warrior/knight-ish fellows discovering some bones. I believe the sea in the background - with a sea serpent which also seems to be a signature perhaps?(looks like "IPSIS"). 10" wide - 7 1/2" deep - 3 1/2" tall.

Ideas on age/origin? Also what is the scene?

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Couple more pics:

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I think it portrays King Arthur. He is supposed to have slayed a few dragons.

 

With the snake and the bones, I think this may be Oleg of Novgorod.

Take a look here:

 

I would say you have nailed it for sure!!!!!

 

Grand Prince of Rus' Oleg of Novgorod painting by Viktor Vasnetsov
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleg_of_Novgorod

Here is artist & bio:

Viktor Mikhaylovich Vasnetsov Self-portrait, 1873
Born 15 May 1848
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Vasnetsov

 

That's it - clearly a copy of Vasnetsov's painting. Thank you!

 

You got it! Thank you!

 

Good eye, Laura. I knew I'd seen it before.

 

Wow, I love it! Before reading all of the replies I did think it had something to do with Russia.

I was trying to figure out where the original painting might be. So far I found this attribution in Wikimedia Commons:

"Oleg at his horse's remains. Illustration to "Lay of the wise Oleg" by A.S. Pushkin, State Literature Museum, Moscow"

So it was used as a book illustration. I'm not sure whether the museum cited is holder of the original or not. I may look more.

 

Interesting!- A few different printings:

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/32170024_pushkin-song-of-oleg-the-wise-vasnetsov-1899

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/20009/lot/3131/

 

There are three illustrations cited on this page. In two of them the horse is alive. The one on this box shows just the skeleton of the horse, with Oleg contemplating, mourning.

Here is the page: http://www.tanais.info/art/en/vasnetsov23more.html

 

I don't see leather. Looks like a nice early 20th century example of pyrography. Where is the signature?

 

I would love to have a copy of the book! You might know from previous posts, but I majored in Russian in college, years ago... I love Russian art.

 

Definitely could be other than leather - in fact now that you say pyrography it makes a lot of sense. Also - the "signature" I was thinking I saw is on the horizon on the right side - thought it might be the shape of a sea serpent - but in the original it looks like maybe smoke rising in the background? Anyhow - it looks like it forms the letters "ISPIS" to me.

 

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/32170024_pushkin-song-of-oleg-the-wise-vasnetsov-1899

If you look at the 5th image on this page - the illustration in the book on the top of the right hand page is the same dragon that is displayed on the front of this box.

 

Well, I found one currently for sale online... a little more than I want to pay!

http://www.pbfa.org/books/d/the-son...libri&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=vialibri

I found out that a reproduction of the book was published in paperback in 1988. I have just ordered a copy of that one. (And even it was over $45!)

Apparently the 1899 one was specially printed (probably in small numbers) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Pushkin's birth. You might know that he is probably the most revered author in Russia.

 

Brad - you are correct - I've had a chance to look closely at the surface now - and it is definitely wood - and looks to be decorated with pyrography. Interestingly the entire box decoration seems to be based on the illustrations from the 1899 Pushkin text / printing mentioned in this thread.

 

Wow! I'm happy you found a printing of this you could purchase without breaking the bank This box has turned out to be even more interesting than I first thought.

 

I love the story that goes along with the image of him mourning over his horse's skeleton....and the snake striking him and fulfilling the prophecy of his death!!!! Fascinating stuff!!!!!