In this lacquer box by artist Mikhail Nebogatov, a goat dances to the tune of a young man as his lady friend looks on. The scene might be inspired by the fairy tale Alyonushka, in which Alyonushka's brother was turned into a goat by an evil witch. Or it may be just a sweet and lighthearted scene created in the imagination of this well known Palekh artist. Tiny lines of gold provide nice definition to the clothing of the couple, while silver lines make up the fur of the goat. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and stands on four small legs. It is signed with the name of the artist and village. A nice box from a first-rate Palekh artist for a very reasonable price.

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
9.0	9.5	10.0	10.0	10.0	48.5	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.)