Description: Hedgehog in the Fog Commemorative coin of RussiaReverse: nickel-plated steel coins have a relief image of the cartoon character "Hedgehog in the Fog" standing on a hill, against a relief landscape and fog; at the top left along the circumference there is a relief inscription "HEDGEHOG IN THE FOG".Obverse: there is a relief image of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation, above it along the edge is the semicircular inscription "RUSSIAN FEDERATION", framed on both sides by double rhombuses, on the right is the trademark of the Moscow Mint, under the coat of arms in the center in three lines is the inscription "BANK OF RUSSIA", the denomination of the coins "25 RUBLES", the date "2024". In May 2003, the 10-minute cartoon "Hedgehog in the Fog", filmed by Soviet animator Yuri Norshteyn in 1975, was recognized at the International Animation Festival "Laputa" in Japan as nothing less than the best cartoon of all time. It is based on the fairy tale of the same name by Sergei Kozlov, which, however, was significantly reworked during the writing of the script. The plot tells of a Hedgehog going to visit a Bear Cub to drink tea with raspberry jam and count the stars. On the way, the Hedgehog gets lost in a mysterious fog, where he meets many characters of varying degrees of strangeness. Everything ends well in the end, the Hedgehog and the Bear Cub are reunited, however, it is difficult to understand exactly what is happening due to the extensive allegorical nature of the work. In our material today we will try to analyze all the main metaphors and references of one of the most mysterious cartoons in history. Tarkovsky and Vereshchagin The opening shots of Hedgehog in the Fog are almost a direct reference to Andrei Tarkovsky's 1972 film Solaris, where the main character also sees a horse in the fog and stumbles upon a river. Incidentally, the film's filming technique on tiered glass was used to create the fog effect. Something similar was previously used in Eastern puppet shadow theater. Moreover, in the whitish creatures that hover around Hedgehog in one of the opening shots, one can see a reference to the vultures from Vasily Vereshchagin's famous still life Apotheosis of War. Owls Are Not What They Seem They also saw in "Hedgehog" a reference to Federico Fellini's film "Amarcord". In this film, a little boy, also lost in the fog, wanders through a distorted world where he is watched by strange creatures, referring to Benito Mussolini and his henchmen. In Norshteyn's version, the monsters watching the main character take the form of slightly monstrous owls. I wonder if David Lynch was inspired by "Hedgehog in the Fog" when creating "Twin Peaks"?The Tree of Life and KnowledgeAmong all the unusual things that the Hedgehog encounters on his way, the oak tree of truly gigantic proportions stands out. Since ancient times, the oak tree has been considered a symbol of life, which connects the underground, earthly and heavenly worlds, and whose roots go somewhere beyond the boundaries of understanding. The main character is amazed by the size of the tree, and the Hedgehog's comments clearly refer to the idea of the impossibility of rational comprehension of the universe as such.Ancient Greek mythologyAt some point, the Hedgehog finds himself in a river that could very well be Styx, the river in the underworld from ancient Greek mythology, where chthonic primordial creatures live. At the same time, one of these creatures carries the main character on its back. Charon, is that you? One can also point to the symbolism of the Hedgehog's meeting with the dog - this is nothing more than a reference to Cerberus, the dog guarding the exit from the underworld. White Horse "And if the horse goes to sleep, will it drown in the fog?" Hedgehog himself asks in the cartoon. In general, according to Christian symbolism, the horseman of the Apocalypse named Death will come to this world riding a white horse, proclaiming the end of the world. At the same time, in West Slavic mythology, a white horse is a mediator between the kingdom of the living and the dead, the eternal companion of the deity Belobog. Journey to the End of the NightSummarizing the previous observations, we can conclude that the entire cartoon is the Hedgehog's journey through the afterlife, at the end of which, having reunited with his already deceased friend, the main character finds peace and himself, pacified and having learned the secret of existence. A more "optimistic" interpretation is also possible, according to which the Hedgehog safely gets out of the realm of the dead and, wise with experience, perceives himself and everything that surrounds him in a new way. Also, according to some estimates, "Hedgehog in the Fog" is a free interpretation of Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy". The main character goes through all the circles of hell, and the gloomy creatures he meets personify human vices. The journey, as in the poem, takes place from darkness to light, from ignorance and wandering in the darkness to insight and self-acceptance. It is curious that at the studio’s artistic council meeting dedicated to “Hedgehog,” Norshteyn himself quoted Dante: “Having walked halfway through my earthly life, I found myself in a dark forest, having lost the right path in the darkness of the valley.” alloy:Copper-Nickelvalue:25 rublesweight:10 (±0.3) gr.quality:without circulation (UNC)surface:coloreddiameter:27 (±0.2) mm.thickness:2.3 (±0.25) mm.circulation:150,000 pcs.issue:September 23, 2024
Price: 15 USD
Location: Minsk
End Time: 2024-11-16T16:38:18.000Z
Shipping Cost: 10 USD
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Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money back or replacement (buyer's choice)
Circulated/Uncirculated: Uncirculated
Year: 2024
Certification: Uncertified