This interesting box was inspired by a rather obscure myth. (In fact, it's so obscure I'm afraid I don't know the story... if anyone is familiar with it, please let us know!) The scene depicts a woman, seated, in a forest. A man wearing armor, with the tail of a serpent or dragon, kneels beside her. Another woman with outstretched arms appears in the background, riding a horse, and a palace rises from the forest behind her.

The box is done in Nebogatova's very distinctive style, that is immediately recognizable. The drawing features many dramatic curves and fairly bold lines, which give the work a dynamic quality and a very rich, detail-filled appearance. There is a emotional presence in this work, which has been achieved not through the characters' faces so much as their body language and the lines the artist uses to create their forms. For example, the queen has a majestic appearance, with a calmness and stability that is suggested by the nearly horizontal edges to her figure. By contrast, the woman in the background, riding on horseback, expresses a more uplifted, excited nature. Nearly every inch of available space has been taken up by dramatic and wild-looking trees, plants and other details, so the woman in the background and the elegant palace in the distance seem to emerge from a dense forest. Nebogatova uses a palette of predominantly green, with some spots of orange and red for contrast. There is also a generous amount of gold throughout the drawing, which gives the work a brilliant, almost joyous quality when it is held up to the light. The gold border around the sides is somewhat heavier in style than some, but this seems quite appropriate to Nebogatova's style and gives the box the right finishing touch. It is made of papier-mache, with a hinge and flat bottom. It is signed with the name of the artist, village, title and year (2002).--BOX1249

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.)