Artwork preview

Pair of Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image shows a pair of gold-colored metal ornaments. The top ornament depicts a bird's head with an open beak and sharp teeth, facing left, behind it a round object with black and gold feathers. The bottom ornament shows a bird in flight, facing left, with outstretched wings, a long neck, and a long beak. Both ornaments are on a light gray background.

Artwork details

Date:
18th century
Medium:
Copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold
Culture:
Japanese
Dimensions:
600 × 480 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette