In this lovely work, Palekh artist Tanya Smirnova ties together elements from the "Tale of the Sleeping Princess" fairy tale. The golden rectangles at the top right and bottom left highlight the story's main characters. The prince is drawn with two vertical bands of radiant gold adorning his dress, while the princess lies asleep on her bed, her linens, blankets and pillows all drawn in rich reds and oranges. Witches, a full moon in the trees, a glowing doorway, and the sleeping subjects of the kingdom fill the drawing with very compelling images. The sides and the bottom of the box are a handsome mix of light and dark browns. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and stands on four small legs. It has a hinge at the top. Signed with the name of the artist, village and year. Smirnova truly has a knack at weaving together various parts from fairy tales and making the composition look very natural and altogether beautiful.

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.)