Artwork preview

Knife Handle (Kozuka)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts a long, thin, rectangular object with a dark background and gold-colored designs. The object, titled "Knife Handle (Kozuka)" and created by an unnamed artist, features a scene with two main figures. On the left side, a man wearing a traditional Japanese helmet and armor rides a horse, holding a long spear. The horse has a saddle and a flowing tail. On the right side, a woman stands next to a building with a tiled roof, holding a long object. The object has a gold border around its edges. The background of the image is a light gray color.

Artwork details

Date:
ca. 1615–1868
Medium:
Copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper-silver alloy (shibuichi)
Culture:
Japanese
Dimensions:
599 × 337 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette