Buddhist Manuscript Box

Though the technique of combining gold and black lacquer was developed in China, it acquired distinctively Thai features during the Bangkok period (1782–present). Its appearance often resembled the complex mural paintings that adorned Thai temple walls, as well as temple and palace doors, windows, and furniture. The classic Bangkok style incorporated figural elements—as seen in the kneeling attendant figures here—into densely patterned designs of flowers, trees, and stylized foliage.