diff --git a/python/examples/009-box.py b/python/examples/009-box.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bda0c719
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/examples/009-box.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+from time import sleep
+import notcurses as nc
+
+notcurses = nc.Notcurses()
+plane = notcurses.stdplane()
+
+BOX_CHARS = (
+    nc.NCBOXASCII,
+    nc.NCBOXDOUBLE,
+    nc.NCBOXHEAVY,
+    nc.NCBOXLIGHT,
+    nc.NCBOXOUTER,
+    nc.NCBOXROUND,
+)
+
+COLORS = (
+    (None, None),
+    (None, nc.rgb(128, 128, 128)),          # default on grey
+    (nc.rgb(255, 0, 0), None),              # red on default
+    (nc.rgb(0, 255, 0), nc.rgb(0, 0, 255)), # green on blue
+)
+
+SY = 7
+SX = 10
+
+for y, (fg, bg) in enumerate(COLORS):
+    for x, box_chars in enumerate(BOX_CHARS):
+        plane.cursor_move_yx(y * SY + 1, x * SX + 1);
+        nc.box(
+            plane, (y + 1) * SY - 1, (x + 1) * SX - 1,
+            box_chars,
+            fg=fg, bg=bg,
+            # ctlword=0x1f9
+        )
+
+notcurses.render()
+sleep(5)
diff --git a/python/notcurses/__init__.py b/python/notcurses/__init__.py
index d9ed6f436..28c6e01d1 100644
--- a/python/notcurses/__init__.py
+++ b/python/notcurses/__init__.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ from .notcurses import (
     ncchannels_set_fg_rgb, ncchannels_set_fg_rgb8,
     ncchannels_set_fg_rgb8_clipped, ncstrwidth, notcurses_version,
     notcurses_version_components,
+    NCBOXASCII, NCBOXDOUBLE, NCBOXHEAVY, NCBOXLIGHT, NCBOXOUTER, NCBOXROUND,
+    box, rgb,
 )
 
 __all__ = (
@@ -61,4 +63,6 @@ __all__ = (
     'ncchannels_set_fg_rgb8_clipped',
 
     'ncstrwidth', 'notcurses_version', 'notcurses_version_components',
+
+    'box', 'rgb',
 )
diff --git a/python/notcurses/functions.c b/python/notcurses/functions.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2862a0d3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/notcurses/functions.c
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+#include <Python.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include "notcurses-python.h"
+
+// TODO: alpha flags on channels
+// TODO: indexed color channels
+// TODO: perimeter function
+// TODO: rationalize coordinate / size args
+// TODO: provide a way to set channels for each corner
+// TODO: docstrings
+// TODO: unit tests
+
+/*
+ * Converts borrowed `obj` to a channel value in `channel`.  Returns 1 on
+ * success.
+ */
+static int
+to_channel(PyObject* obj, uint32_t* channel) {
+  // None → default color.
+  if (obj == Py_None) {
+    *channel = 0;
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  // A single long → channel value.
+  long long const value = PyLong_AsLongLong(obj);
+  if (PyErr_Occurred())
+    PyErr_Clear();
+    // And fall through.
+  else if (value & ~0xffffffffll) {
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_ValueError, "invalid channel: %lld", value);
+    return 0;
+  }
+  else {
+    *channel = (uint32_t) value;
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "not a channel: %R", obj);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+static PyObject*
+pync_meth_box(PyObject* Py_UNUSED(self), PyObject* args, PyObject* kwargs) {
+  static char* keywords[] = {
+    "plane", "ystop", "xstop", "box_chars", "styles", "fg", "bg",
+    "ctlword", NULL
+  };
+  NcPlaneObject* plane_arg;
+  unsigned ystop;
+  unsigned xstop;
+  const char* box_chars = NCBOXASCII;
+  uint16_t styles = 0;
+  PyObject* fg_arg = 0;
+  PyObject* bg_arg = 0;
+  unsigned ctlword = 0;
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(
+        args, kwargs, "O!II|s$HOOI:box", keywords,
+        &NcPlane_Type, &plane_arg,
+        &ystop, &xstop, &box_chars,
+        &styles, &fg_arg, &bg_arg, &ctlword))
+    return NULL;
+
+  uint32_t fg;
+  if (!to_channel(fg_arg, &fg))
+    return NULL;
+  uint32_t bg;
+  if (!to_channel(bg_arg, &bg))
+    return NULL;
+  uint64_t const channels = (uint64_t) fg << 32 | bg;
+
+  struct ncplane* const plane = plane_arg->ncplane_ptr;
+
+  if (!notcurses_canutf8(ncplane_notcurses(plane)))
+    // No UTF-8 support; force ASCII.
+    box_chars = NCBOXASCII;
+
+  int ret;
+  nccell ul = NCCELL_TRIVIAL_INITIALIZER;
+  nccell ur = NCCELL_TRIVIAL_INITIALIZER;
+  nccell ll = NCCELL_TRIVIAL_INITIALIZER;
+  nccell lr = NCCELL_TRIVIAL_INITIALIZER;
+  nccell hl = NCCELL_TRIVIAL_INITIALIZER;
+  nccell vl = NCCELL_TRIVIAL_INITIALIZER;
+  ret = nccells_load_box(
+    plane, styles, channels, &ul, &ur, &ll, &lr, &hl, &vl, box_chars);
+  if (ret == -1) {
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "nccells_load_box returned %i", ret);
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  ret = ncplane_box(plane, &ul, &ur, &ll, &lr, &hl, &vl, ystop, xstop, ctlword);
+  if (ret < 0)
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "nplane_box returned %i", ret);
+
+  nccell_release(plane, &ul);
+  nccell_release(plane, &ur);
+  nccell_release(plane, &ll);
+  nccell_release(plane, &lr);
+  nccell_release(plane, &hl);
+  nccell_release(plane, &vl);
+
+  if (ret < 0)
+    return NULL;
+  else
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+}
+
+static PyObject*
+pync_meth_rgb(PyObject* Py_UNUSED(self), PyObject* args) {
+  int r;
+  int g;
+  int b;
+  if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "iii", &r, &g, &b))
+    return NULL;
+
+  if ((r & ~0xff) == 0 && (g & ~0xff) == 0 && (b & ~0xff) == 0)
+    return PyLong_FromLong(
+      0x40000000u | (uint32_t) r << 16 | (uint32_t) g <<  8 | (uint32_t) b);
+  else {
+    PyErr_Format(PyExc_ValueError, "invalid rgb: (%d, %d, %d)", r, g, b);
+    return NULL;
+  }
+}
+
+struct PyMethodDef pync_methods[] = {
+    {
+      "box",
+      (void*) pync_meth_box,
+      METH_VARARGS | METH_KEYWORDS,
+      "FIXME: Docs."
+    },
+    {
+      "rgb",
+      (void*) pync_meth_rgb,
+      METH_VARARGS,
+      "FIXME: Docs."
+    },
+    {NULL, NULL, 0, NULL}
+};
+
diff --git a/python/notcurses/main.c b/python/notcurses/main.c
index 8f120f50c..727ebcbf7 100644
--- a/python/notcurses/main.c
+++ b/python/notcurses/main.c
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
+#include <Python.h>
+
 #include "notcurses-python.h"
 
 PyObject *traceback_format_exception = NULL;
@@ -27,12 +29,14 @@ Notcurses_module_free(PyObject *Py_UNUSED(self))
     Py_XDECREF(new_line_unicode);
 }
 
+extern PyMethodDef pync_methods[];
+
 static struct PyModuleDef NotcursesMiscModule = {
     PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
     .m_name = "Notcurses",
     .m_doc = "Notcurses python module",
     .m_size = -1,
-    .m_methods = NULL,
+    .m_methods = pync_methods,
     .m_free = (freefunc)Notcurses_module_free,
 };
 
@@ -86,6 +90,14 @@ PyInit_notcurses(void)
     GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddIntMacro(py_module, NCALPHA_BLEND));
     GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddIntMacro(py_module, NCALPHA_OPAQUE));
 
+    // FIXME: Better, attributes of an object such as an enum.
+    GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddStringMacro(py_module, NCBOXASCII));
+    GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddStringMacro(py_module, NCBOXDOUBLE));
+    GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddStringMacro(py_module, NCBOXHEAVY));
+    GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddStringMacro(py_module, NCBOXLIGHT));
+    GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddStringMacro(py_module, NCBOXOUTER));
+    GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddStringMacro(py_module, NCBOXROUND));
+
     // if this bit is set, we are *not* using the default background color
     GNU_PY_CHECK_INT(PyModule_AddIntMacro(py_module, NC_BGDEFAULT_MASK));
     // extract these bits to get the background RGB value
diff --git a/python/setup.py b/python/setup.py
index a17224d73..c08c34f5b 100644
--- a/python/setup.py
+++ b/python/setup.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ setup(
             sources=[
                 'notcurses/channels.c',
                 'notcurses/context.c',
+                'notcurses/functions.c',
                 'notcurses/main.c',
                 'notcurses/misc.c',
                 'notcurses/plane.c',