Scintillating ripples of mother of pearl dance on the surface of a lake, carrying a tiny golden rose further from the shore. Pavel Anokhin combines the misty colors of a a cherished memory, the soft delicacy of a half remembered dream after waking, and the captivating sparkle of gold and mother of pearl to bring this sensuous and melancholy tableau to life. A maiden dozes in a meadow of tall grass and tiny wildflowers, her languid pose reminiscent of Klimdt. The country side fades into the ghostly colors of false dawn as the blossoms above her evolve into ever more fanciful forms as they near the glittering lake brimming with the spidery shadows of winter bare trees. A youth kneels at its shores, watching as the perfect, golden blossom, twin to that held by the maiden, gently bobs on its surface. Is he waiting for his love to awaken in a nearby meadow? Is he a citizen of her dreams, sending the rose as a token of his love across the water's surface to appear in her hands? Or is she his dream, and the flower her gift to him? The Cyrillic inscription which wraps around the sides of the box asks the viewer to "Let the light image of the a clear pond come to our dreams, and the reflection of the frozen light remind us tenderly of the fragrance of sleep." Anokhin leaves us to wonder which is a dream, and who is the dreamer. A thick, raised border of soft taupe frames the scene, and is itself framed by the pale sage of the lid, so as not the distract from the scene. A tiny golden knob just from the front of the lid at the apex of a shallow arch painted the same deep bronze as the inscription on the black lacquer sides. This box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name. There is a hinge at the top, and the interior is red lacquer. The base of this piece is flush.

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	9.5

(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.)