This piece, in crisp, icy pastels, tells a sad, yet romantic tale by Pushkin. As a snowstorm howls above, a lone soldier, Vladimir, has lost his way in the blizzard. He strains to listen for any sound of help over the howl of the wind as he wanders through the drifts. He has set off into the miserable night to elope with his love, whose parents have forbade any contact. She is the daughter of an aristocrat, and he is but a poor soldier. A village stands in the background, visible to the viewer, but hidden from the soldier by the thick precipitation. A horse drawn sled approaches, bearing a curtained shelter. The horse leans heavily into the wind, forced into a creeping pace by the weather. Determined to reach the tiny chapel, the young girl, Marya, and her driver press on relentlessly. On the left, a soldier, in a dress uniform, stands before the priest with Marya, clasping hands as they are married. The final blessing is being said as crowns are placed on the couple's heads to signify their union. Unfortunately, it is not Vladimir, who has lost his way in the storm, but Burmin, who wandered into the church and was mistaken for the groom. Gilded icons watch over the couple as they recite their final vows. When Marya realized the mistake, she fainted, and Burmin left in the morning after falling asleep in the chapel. By the time Vladimir reached the church, it was done, and he left to fight in the war. Vladimir died in combat, but Marya and Burmin were later reunited, and fell in love. (To read more of the story, here is a link that we found.) The box is made of high quality papier mache and is signed on the lid with the artist's name (V.Vilkova), village, and title. It has a hinge on the left and a red lacquer interior. The base is flush. A fine traditional work from Mstera, which proves that every dark cloud has a silver lining.

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.)