The majestic St. Basil's cathedral looks almost like a fairy-tale castle on this miniature. The prevalence of emerald and rich gold tones, as well as the main tower piercing the sky aid this effect. The box itself appears as if it was magically shrunk from a much larger work into this tiny one, albeit retaining its exquisite level of detail. The only thing that brings us back to reality are the tiny figures of modern day pedestrians taking a leisurely walk on the square.

The box is made from high quality papier mache. It sits flat and has a hinge on the left. The lacquer on the top of the box is in excellent condition, while the sides of the lid and some areas on the inside of the box are a little grainy. The ornament around the painting is faded in some places (but due to the small size of it it's almost unnoticeable); the larger side ornamentation is in good condition. Signed with the name of the artist (Topanina), village, and year.