Artwork preview

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Brown metal circular sword guard with two oval-shaped cutouts and one teardrop-shaped cutout. Cutouts are teardrop-shaped, except one is horizontal and oval. A tree on the top-right side. Three gold objects resembling birds in flight on the top left. A grassy area on the bottom right. A landscape design on the bottom. Gold and blue inlays.

Artwork details

Date:
ca. 1615–1868
Medium:
Iron, copper
Culture:
Japanese
Dimensions:
600 × 600 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette