The use of two colours, both equally prominent, on lacquerware is quite unusual. On the present box, the design of the central flower surrounded by leaves and buds is commonly found on lacquer boxes of this size during this period. A number of boxes carved mainly from cinnabar-red lacquer and signed by Zhang Chen, are known; the most closely related in composition is illustrated in Karamono: Imported Lacquerware - Chinese, Korean and Ryukyuan (Okinawa), Selections from the Tokugawa Art Museum, No. 2, 1997, p. 45, no. 65.

The prominent use of the olive-green, together with red, is also seen on another Zhang Chen signed piece, a cupstand where the design of red peonies amidst green leaves, as well as the thick green rims, is very similar in style to the present box; cf. ibid., p. 51, no. 85.