Fascinating work by Palekh artist Roman Chibisov. An elaborately coiffed woman is surrounded by a group of animals and birds, most prominently three brown owls to the left, and a gray wolf at the bottom right. None of the creatures, nor the woman herself, seem to welcome us into their environment, but perhaps it is more of a warning than anything else. From the title of the piece, and the dark clouds and trees behind the owls, it appears a storm is brewing. This will be no place for man or beast. But this enchantress will keep the animals safe, this much we know. This woman is painted in very fine detail, including her hair, features and partially diaphanous dress. Chibisov painted a beautiful radiant gold ornament on the sides and bottom, made up of leaves and flowers. The box opens up to reveal more gold, this time shaped geometrically against a creamy white background. Very cool. The box is signed with the name of the artist, title, village and year. A truly unique piece.

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.)