The Ulyanovsk Museum of Local History houses three chests that used to belong to Ivan Goncharov. They were donated by Natalya Rezvetsova, who was married to the son of Alexandra Treygut-Rezvetsova — Goncharov’s adoptedd daughter.

 
The smallest chest is shaped like a trunk with a top handle. The lid covers three sliding compartments for small items. The wooden chest is painted with different colored lacquers. The central part of the lid and the front of the compartments are decorated with images of pomegranate fruit and floral ornaments against a black background. Traditional Oriental patterns of floral ornaments, cranes and phoenixes are embossed around the central image, as well as on the sidewalls of the box.

 
The earliest lacquer surface decoration known in Japan appeared around the 6th century. Local craftsmen adopted this technique from the Chinese, but not without changes: as a material, they chose resin of the lacquer tree urushi. At first, it was used to cover heads of arrows and spears to make them more solid, as well as woodenware and pottery to make them more water-resistant. Also, the lacquer was a perfect choice for the hot and humid Asian climate, as it protected items from deterioration. Later, craftsmen came up with the idea of treating fabrics with it to make them waterproof.

 
Over time, urushi lacquer found its way into the decorative painting. It was mixed with coloring agents, most often black, red and gold. Paintings performed in this technique have been found on battle helmets, scabbards, chests, and chopsticks.