Artwork preview

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dark gray metal sword guard with gold designs. The guard is circular with a central oval shape and curved, interconnected bands that form a distinctive pattern. The bands are smooth and have a subtle sheen. The circular outer edge features an intricate gold filigree design. The central oval section bears several lines of raised Japanese characters.

Artwork details

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