Handsome looking men, for some reason, are not as popular as beautiful women in the world of the Russian lacquer box, but this box makes you wonder why. In this piece called "Tenderness", both the man and woman are painted equally well and with extreme care, soft shadows, and a great deal of precision. Although you don't know this couple, if you are lucky enough, you may know the feeling between them. The image is presented in a teardrop like window, framed all around by a radiant silver band and silver dots. The base color of the box, which is made out of high quality papier mache, is a very light green. It has a red interior, and a hinge at the left. The box is signed on the very bottom with the name of the artist, village, title and year. A truly exceptional miniature by the talented Fedoskino artist Svetlana Chirkova.

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.)