Cosmetic Box

Cosmetic boxes and small squat oil bottles were made for the court and aristocrats in the Koryo dynasty. The boxes all have flat lids with rounded shoulders, a shape that had its origins in the metalwork of the time. The decoration of cosmetic boxes is closely linked with lacquerwork of the Koryo period. This box is inlaid with yet another variation on the familiar motif of chrysanthemum flowers and leaves.