Incense Box (Kōgō) with Cartwheels Submerged in Water

Incense Box (Kōgō) with Cartwheels Submerged in Water

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The theme of this small incense box’s design, cartwheels in a stream, reflects the Heian-period (794–1185) practice of soaking the wheels of ox carts in water to prevent them from drying out and cracking. Popular during the Heian period, this pattern is also seen on both mirrors and decorated calligraphy papers used for sutra scrolls. This box was perhaps originally part of a cosmetic set and would have been a container for tooth-blackening material.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Incense Box (Kōgō) with Cartwheels Submerged in WaterIncense Box (Kōgō) with Cartwheels Submerged in WaterIncense Box (Kōgō) with Cartwheels Submerged in WaterIncense Box (Kōgō) with Cartwheels Submerged in WaterIncense Box (Kōgō) with Cartwheels Submerged in Water

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.