The elaborate designs that adorn this pillow-shaped container seem to defy its utilitarian purpose of holding camwood cosmetic, hairpins, jewelry, or other prestige items. In fact, red camwood, a powdery red pigment produced from a shrubby tree, has been rubbed into the exterior of the box to enhance its decorative patterns. As one scholar wrote, everyday Kuba objects were decorated with geometric patterns “as if [their] absence indicated poverty.” The round face nestled in the center of the lid suggests the role of the head as a site of human knowledge and thus power. As with the other items of adornment in this case, the intricacy and skill of this work of art displayed the status of its owner. The box also demonstrates that Kuba artists and their patrons shared an impressive appreciation for imaginative form and design.