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Source Description
This koto has an elaborately decorated surface, suggesting that it was meant to be admired as a decorative object rather than played as a musical instrument. The vertical design shows a profusion of chrysanthemum flowers and miscanthus grass above a brushwood fence as well as a pair of butterflies.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
98660
label
Koto (Zither)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
98660
contentType
object
title
Koto (Zither)
description
This koto has an elaborately decorated surface, suggesting that it was meant to be admired as a decorative object rather than played as a musical instrument. The vertical design shows a profusion of chrysanthemum flowers and miscanthus grass above a brushwood fence as well as a pair of butterflies.
date
early to mid-1800s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79485198
genreSpecific
Musical Instrument
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 117.8 cm (46 3/8 in.); Widest end: 23.8 cm (9 3/8 in.)
cul
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
accession
1918.359
Source extras
tec
Wood with colored lacquer, sprinkled gold powder (maki-e), textile, and silk strings
tombstone
Koto (Zither) (箏), early to mid-1800s. Japan, Edo period (1615–1868). Wood with colored lacquer, sprinkled gold powder (maki-e), textile, and silk strings; overall: 117.8 cm (46 3/8 in.); widest end: 23.8 cm (9 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Charles G. King Jr. collection; Gift of Ralph King in memory of Charles G. King Jr., 1918.359
titleInOriginalLanguage
箏
collection
Japanese Art
didYouKnow
The koto descended from the<em> guzheng</em>, a Chinese zither first imported to Japan in the seventh century.
citations
citation
"Accessions." <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> 5, no. 8/9 (October 1918): 82–85.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 82
citation
Moore, Douglas S. "Exhibition of Musical Instruments." <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> 8, no. 9 (November 1921): 134–143.
page_number
Mentioned: pp. 134–137
creditline
The Charles G. King Jr. collection; Gift of Ralph King in memory of Charles G. King Jr.
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:19:38.492000
sourceId
98660
dept
Japanese Art
coll
Japanese Art
med
Wood with colored lacquer, sprinkled gold powder (maki-e), textile, and silk strings
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
404a2d3dd22efac2