Artwork preview

Knife Handle (Kozuka)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The object is a long, thin, rectangular piece of dark-colored material, possibly wood or metal. It has a flat top and bottom edge, with rounded sides. The object is black with gold and silver inlays. There are three circular designs on the object. The leftmost circle contains orange, yellow, and white leaves and curling vines. The middle circle is not distinct but appears to have gold-colored leaves. The rightmost circle contains a gold design. The background is a light gray color.

Artwork Details

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