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
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette