A young man reaches his arm around the pretty Russian maiden and seems to be teasing a cat with some thread and object at the end of it. A slight smile can be seen on the girl, clearly enjoying this moment of fun and flirtation. Painted by the Fedoskino artist Maria Vagner, the scene is immediately identifiable as Russian in character because of the elaborate and radiant kokoshnik (Russian headdress) which she is wearing. Vagner also inlayed an iridescent piece of mother of pearl in her dress which brings added light to the surface. The vibrant reds and blues of the clothing and turquoise color of the background have that signature look of the artist's style to them. The sides and bottom of a mix of gold and black, and the interior is red. The box is made out of high quality papier mache and there is a hinge at the left. The box is signed at the bottom of the drawing with the name of the artist and village. A unique and playful work from one of Fedoskino's most popular artists.

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.)