Knife Handle (Kozuka)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Kozuka "Knife Handle" by artist is a long, rectangular piece made of dark gray metal with a textured surface. The piece features a raised design along its center, consisting of two groups of figures. The group on the left includes a gold-colored stick with a bow tied around it, positioned to the left of eight monkeys, with five gold and three black, engaged in various dynamic poses. The monkeys are depicted with white faces and ears; one holds a round object with a center circle and eight outer circles. On the right side of the design, a single monkey is shown with its right arm raised and left arm bent at the elbow. The background of the image transitions from black at the top to dark gray at the bottom.