Artwork preview

Knife Handle (Kozuka) with Blade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image shows a knife with a black handle and a gold emblem. The knife is positioned horizontally, with the blade on the left and the handle on the right. The blade is silver with a darker patina and appears to be slightly curved. The handle is black and rectangular, with rounded edges. A gold emblem is centered on the handle, featuring an oval shape with a design in the center. The background of the image is a plain gray color. The overall appearance suggests that this is a traditional Japanese knife, specifically a Kozuka, which is a small utility knife used for various tasks. The Kozuka was created by the artist.

Artwork Details

Date
blade, dated 1688; knife handle, before 1870
Medium
Steel, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold
Culture
Japanese
Dimensions
599 × 337 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette