This colorful box by the late Palekh artist Stanislav Butorin gives us three glimpses of the Russian fairy tale "Ruslan and Ludmila", written by Aleksander Pushkin. On the right, Ruslan can been vanquishing a rival Rogday, throwing him into the waters of the Dniepr River. In the middle, another rival Ratmir becomes distracted and finds a comfortable place in the presence of a young maiden. And on the left Ruslan has found what he is searching for, the lovely Ludmila, though she is still unconscious, waiting to be brought to life again. The box is beautifully detailed by Butorin, who was a member of the prestigious Union of Artists and one of the most skilled lacquer box artists of his time. The fine gold lines that help accentuate and define objects are very precise. The faces of all the people are also quite well done and each has their own character. Instead of being black, the box is actually a very dark blue which you hardly ever see. And if you open it up, it is still a dark blue. Very unique! The gold and silver ornament on the side is expertly done, too. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and it does not have a hinge. Signed with the name of the artist, village, and year.

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.)