The Koryo Museum of Art's recently launched exhibition, "Korean Decorative Objects and Containers," features more than 150 folk works — including ceramics, paper crafts, furniture, silverware and wooden crafts — all of which were once utensils of some kind. These stunning examples of craftsmanship highlight an emphasis on aesthetics in Korean culture that included adding decorative detail to even the most common everyday items.

This exhibition "provides the opportunity for the visitor to view these items in the context of their daily use," said museum curator Moeko Matsuura, who went on to explain that "in addition to displaying the boxes and other containers, our exhibit shows how they were used and the items they held."

While there are some rare Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) items here, the majority of works on display date from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the longest dynastic period in Korean history. It was during this time that the philosophy and state religion of Confucianism determined a strict adherence to hierarchy and placed the king at the pinnacle of social order. Consequently, the style and quality of household items became determined by a family's social status.