Kogo (Incense Box)

Arakawa Toyozo, an apprentice of Kitaoji Rosanjin, devoted his life to re-creating Shino and yellow-and-black Seto wares of the Momoyama period. He eventually received the Japanese honor of being designated a Living National Treasure. The donor of this object relates the fascinating story of her meeting with the artist in 1956. Together they viewed the famous Chinese painting of six persimmons (kaki) by the Song artist Mu Ch'i (active thirteenth century), which was on view in an exhibition of treasures in a Japanese museum.

Arakawa went back to his studio and fashioned this small incense box in the form of the fruit, firing it with the simple but effective decoration technique known as nezumi-Shino (gray Shino). He then gave it to Mrs. Conant as a memento of their experience.