Wit and Wonder of Kogo Incense Boxes
The Sandra G. Saltzman Collection
Kogo (jyu-koh-go) are small containers to house pieces of incense wood or blended aromatics for ceremonial use. Kogo come in a variety of shapes, sizes, designs, and materials, including ceramic, cloisonné, lacquer, metal, porcelain, and silver. Incense ceremonies involved around ten people and were led by an incense master who guided the participants through a journey of scents provided by the burning incense. Literature and poetry are integral to the ceremony since one not only enjoys wafts of various scents but also relishes interacting with these fragrances through reading ancient poems in an interactive game-like manner.
In 2012, the Harn Museum of Art received a bequest of ninety-six kogo from the Estate of Sandra G. Saltzman. The Saltzman collection is distinguished by its variety of colors, forms and textures, with the earliest example dating from the 16th century Momoyama "Peach Hill" period (1573-1615). A highlight in the collection is the animated form of a tanuki, a mischievous badger-like creature, created by a 19th-century Buddhist nun Otagaki Rengetsu (1791–1875). The bequest complements the Harn’s collection of Japanese art, particularly works by Asian female artists that span centuries.
The inaugural exhibitions of the David A. Cofrin Asian Art Wing are made possible by the generous support of the AEC Trust.