Incense Container (Kōgō) with Pea Pod and Vine Design Early Edo period, late 17th century-early 18th century

Curator: Here we have an Incense Container, or Kōgō, with Pea Pod and Vine Design, attributed to Ogata Kōrin. Editor: It's intriguing—the organic shapes against that warm, mottled ground. What materials are we looking at? Curator: The piece is crafted from ceramic, adorned with mother-of-pearl inlay. The pea pods themselves seem to be rendered in a different ceramic, creating texture. Editor: The pea pod and vine motif is so interesting for something intended for ritual use. The pea, across cultures, is often associated with abundance and new beginnings. Curator: Precisely. Incense itself carries layers of symbolic weight - purification, connection to the divine, a pathway for prayers. Combined with the pea imagery, it becomes a powerful statement of hope and renewal. Editor: I'm drawn to the labor involved, the careful inlay work. Someone devoted considerable time to constructing this small object. Curator: Absolutely, and that devotion underscores the value placed on these rituals and beliefs. Editor: Seeing this makes me think about how daily objects can be imbued with so much symbolic meaning. Curator: And how that meaning persists through material culture.