Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The tsuba by an unknown artist is a circular, dark brown metal object with a textured surface. The metal appears to be weathered and has a rough appearance. There are three cutouts in the center of the object. Their shapes resemble elongated ovals with rounded ends. The left and right cutouts are symmetrical with a wider top and narrower bottom, while the center cutout is more elongated with a narrower top and wider bottom. A cutout design on the right side resembles a flower or leaf. The background of the image is dark gray with a slight gradient effect.