
This painting is a striking example of Alexey Ezhov’s «medieval surrealism», blending elements of fantasy, mechanics, and traditional painting. The canvas depicts a fantastical creature resembling a hybrid of an animal and a mechanical device: its body is smoothly curved, adorned with blue accents, while its head is stylized as a horse’s, featuring a prominent blue «eye» element. Key features of the composition: The creature’s body resembles a ship or a house on legs, complete with details such as a porthole and a hook, emphasizing its mechanistic aesthetic. The legs are designed as wooden supports with red tips, adding stability and a touch of grotesque to the image. The background is filled with circles featuring red centres, resembling stylized coins or discs, creating a sense of movement and rhythm. The golden-yellow background enhances the fairy-tale and irrealistic quality of the scene, contrasting with the white and red hues of the main character. Artistic techniques: The multi-layered glazing technique, characteristic of Ezhov’s style, adds depth to the work. The combination of organic and mechanical forms is the artist’s signature approach, creating the illusion of a parallel world. The rich colour palette, dominated by gold, red, and blue, evokes both festivity and mystery.
Alexei Yezhov
One of the most popular and interesting artists of St. Petersburg, whose works represent a unique combination of surrealistic techniques and the traditions of Dutch masters. His paintings can be characterized as medieval surrealism, featuring people in medieval costumes reminiscent of characters from Bosch's paintings, as well as strange semi-mechanical fish and animals. His works also frequently feature mechanisms such as sails, wooden wheels, and other medieval devices. Alexei Yezhov employs glazing and multilayer painting techniques, which give his works depth and volume. He creates his own unique world where the medieval and the fantastic intertwine in unusual and captivating compositions.