Artwork preview

Pair of Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Golden pair of ornaments in the shape of birds. The top bird is larger and faces left. The bottom bird faces right. Both have engraved feathers, engraved eyes, and a protruding head. The birds have a long tail and long thin wings. They are on a light gray background.

Artwork Details

Date
18th century
Medium
Copper, gold, copper-gold alloy (shakudō)
Culture
Japanese
Dimensions
600 × 480 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette