Sword Guard (Tsuba) with Horses under Pine

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image shows a circular, dark metal object with a design of two horses under a pine tree. The object has a large central oval-shaped hole with a teardrop-shaped cutout. On either side of the central hole are two smaller oval-shaped holes. The design features two horses, one on the right side and another on the left; they appear to be standing under a pine tree with foliage. The background of the image is a gradient that transitions from black at the top to gray at the bottom. The metal object appears to be an old Japanese sword guard, known as a tsuba. The tsuba is decorated with gold accents around the holes and in the design. The metal has a textured appearance with visible wear and tear. The overall color of the tsuba is dark brown with a slightly reddish tint. The image presents the tsuba against a plain background, suggesting it may be a product or artifact photo.