Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks

Japan

Not on view

The Altman bequest to The Met included fifty Japanese lacquers, featuring a group of small decorative incense boxes. Such objects were popular collectibles in Europe during the second half of the nineteenth century, following the eighteenth-century fashion of collecting small maki-e objects as part of aristocratic interior decoration. In East Asia mandarin ducks represent marital bliss and fidelity; they are often depicted on ceramics, lacquers, and textiles as auspicious symbols associated with weddings.

Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan
Pair of Incense Boxes (Kōgō) in the Shape of Mandarin Ducks, Lacquered wood with gold and silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and togidashimaki-e, cutout gold foil application, Japan

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.