Cosmetic Box, 12th or 13th century

Cosmetic boxes and small oil bottles were among the wide variety of forms made in the slip-inlay (sanggam) technique for the court and aristocrats of the Goryeo dynasty. The boxes all have flat lids with rounded shoulders, a shape that had its origins in the metalwork of the time. The decoration on the lids generally consists of geometric or floral designs and is closely linked with lacquerwork of the period. This cosmetic box is inlaid with yet another variation on the familiar motif of chrysanthemum flowers and leaves.