Knife Handle (Kozuka) 1600 - 1675

Curator: Looking at this object, I immediately sense such focused dedication—almost obsessive care—embedded into something seemingly small. Editor: Yes, and what a magnificent miniature narrative! We’re observing a kozuka, a knife handle, made sometime between 1600 and 1675. Its creator is identified as Gotō Kenjō. Currently, it resides here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: It really tells a story, doesn’t it? You can practically feel the weight of that sword and the formality of the armor. This is about more than just weaponry, I think. Editor: Precisely. The use of metal, the engraved detail… it draws the eye into a sophisticated, almost semiotic dance. Observe how the elements—sword, armor, fittings—interact spatially. This invites us to decipher a symbolic language. Curator: Right! It’s like this entire history, this warrior ethos, concentrated onto the palm of your hand. This handle is not just decoration; it’s a mnemonic device, perhaps even a sort of talisman. How did it feel for its original owner to grasp this object daily? I bet that feeling was profound, intimate. Editor: I agree; utility fuses with profound design. Note the careful contrasts of gold and the dark metallic background. Each accent enhances the texture of the entire design. Curator: Seeing that blend of utility, craft, and symbolism... it stirs my own need to honor simple things, daily rituals. Editor: It leaves me with a heightened sense of formal awareness—a reminder of how meaning and emotion emerge through calculated visual structure.