A mixture of religious and folk tale motifs, the legend of St. George is depicted in all its glory on this intricate work. The hero himself occupies the focal point of the piece, with the powerful horse, red cloak, and a large cross-shaped spear highlighting his mighty presence. The firm and noble face of the Saint contrasts the hideous, poisonous creature about to be killed. The princess is depicted on the right, observing the scene with anxious anticipation, and her father the king watches it all from atop of a tower.

Given the modest size of this box, the artist achieved a great level of detail, depth, and emotional impact in this work. The dominating colors highlight the main themes of the piece: red is reminiscent of danger and blood, gold overtones present throughout create an aura of majesty and nobility, and the white, which stands out in the center represents the good which ultimately prevails. The painting is adorned with a gold ornament meant to not overpower the main image. The bottom right of the work is signed with the name of the artist. The sides of the box are painted with a more complex silver and gold ornament. The box is made out of high quality papier mache, and stands on four legs. There is a hinge on the left, and the open box reveals deep red lacquer inside. On the top left of the painting there is a tiny speck that must have gotten inside during the making process. Otherwise the box and the lacquer are in very good condition.

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.)