Incense Container (Kōgō) in the Shape of a Bird

Incense Container (Kōgō) in the Shape of a Bird

Miyagawa Chōzō

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

After being apprenticed to Aoki Mokubei (1767–1833) to learn pottery techniques, Miyagawa Chōzō opened a new kiln at Makuzugahara in Higashiyama, Kyoto. Given the artistic name Makuzu by Yasui no Monzeki, a retired monk of the Shingon (Esoteric Buddhist) sect, he began making “Makuzu ware.” He was the father of Meiji-period ceramic artist Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kōzan I (1842–1916).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Incense Container (Kōgō) in the Shape of a BirdIncense Container (Kōgō) in the Shape of a BirdIncense Container (Kōgō) in the Shape of a BirdIncense Container (Kōgō) in the Shape of a BirdIncense Container (Kōgō) in the Shape of a Bird

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.