The tale of Ruslan and Ludmila unfolds on this dramatic box from Kholui. As the sun sets on Prince Vladimir's castle, the prince and his court gather on the ramparts, weeping as they watch the forest for the return of the kidnapped princess, Ludmila. The wicked sorcerer Chernomor's palace, where Ludmila was held captive, sits empty in the moonlight as the knight Ruslan rides homeward with a swooning Ludmila in his lap and the evil sorcerer a chained captive. Chernomor seems to be promising revenge to the giant head as they pass, angry that the head gave away Chernomor's secret weakness to settle an old grudge. It seems a near perfect happy ending, but Ruslan's rival lies in wait to ambush the knight and claim Ludmila as his own. (To read the whole fairy tale, click here.)The scene is beautifully painted with lots of contrast and detail. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the title, artist's name (O. Dobrina), and village. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer. It rests on four round legs.--BOX1160

Lacquerbox Condition Ratings

Surface Condition (exterior)	Surface Condition (interior/bottom)	Box Materials and Soundness	Hinge and Lid Placement	Signature	Total Rating	Mother-of-pearl Condition
9.5	9.5	10.0	10.0	10.0	49	N/A

(Each category rated 1-10. For low scores, look for explanation in the description of box. In general, any total rating over 40 is excellent. For more information on rating system, click here.)