Artwork preview

Knife Handle (Kozuka)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image shows a black and gold kozuka, a handle for a Japanese knife. The kozuka is long and rectangular, with a flat top and bottom edge. The kozuka has a textured surface. The kozuka is primarily black with gold and silver inlays. The left side of the kozuka depicts a cluster of long thin leaves emanating from a central point. The right side shows a tree trunk with a diagonal branch extending to the top left. The background of the image is light gray.

Artwork Details

Date
late 18th century
Medium
Copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold
Culture
Japanese
Dimensions
599 × 337 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette