Artwork preview

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts a circular metal object with a central oval-shaped hole. The object, titled "Sword Guard (Tsuba)" and created by an unknown artist, features a dark brown metal with a weathered appearance. The central oval hole has a teardrop-shaped cutout in its center and appears to contain an etched design. The object is surrounded by a floral pattern, comprising flowers with five petals and leaves, all crafted from the same metal as the object. The flowers and leaves are interconnected by stems, forming a continuous design around the central oval. The background of the image is a plain white surface.

Artwork details

Date:
late 18th century
Medium:
Iron, copper
Culture:
Japanese
Dimensions:
600 × 600 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette