Artwork preview

Knife Handle (Kozuka)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Kozuka, Knife Handle, is a long, thin, rectangular object with a black background. A gold border surrounds the object. A figure is on the right side, on their stomach, facing left. The figure holds an object in their right hand. They wear a headband. A gold fish is on the left side. The object is decorated with a floral design in gold. Branches and blossoms extend from the center to both sides. Small gold dots are scattered around the design. The background of the image is light gray.

Artwork details

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