In the meantime, this kind of wood has no decorative qualities of its own (for example, special patterns of fibers). That is why craftsmen usually leave imprints from their tools on the surface of basswood sculptures: traces and textured cuts enhance the light and shadow effects on the sculptures.

Yusup Khamchiev took into consideration all specific qualities of basswood while creating his masterpiece. He depicted a tired man who comes home after a hard day of working in a field. The highlander sits on a horse-cart heaped with freshly cut grass. The artist carved the finest details with ease: the harness belts, the brims of the hat, the folds on the man’s clothes. He added lively effects of lights and shadows by alternating smooth surfaces (for example, the figure of the donkey) and textured surfaces (the grooves in the grass). The master did not overburden the composition with unnecessary details, preserving the integrity of the image.

Yusup Khamchiev dedicated his life to woodworking. Even as a student of the Bogorodsk vocational school of art carving he proved himself as a talented master. Upon graduation, according to Russian 6-point classification system, he was awarded the 5th class title in woodcarving, the highest possible. Later, he continued developing his skills and mastered all woodcarving techniques: contour, geometric, relief, fretwork, applied, and volumetric.

The master created and left as his legacy more than 2000 works, on each of which he worked for at least two weeks. Presently, Yusup Khamchiev is a recognized master not only in Ingushetia but throughout Russia. He is a member of the Artists’ Union of Russia, the Artists’ Union of the Republic of Ingushetia, and was awarded the title of the Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia.