Artwork preview

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Round, flat, black metal object with gold floral designs around the edge. The object has a textured surface. Three holes are in the center, one long and thin, teardrop shaped, and two oval shaped on either side. The gold designs are made up of small flowers and leaves. The background is light gray. The object is a sword guard, known as a Tsuba, created by an unknown artist.

Artwork Details

Date
ca. 1615–1868
Medium
Copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, copper
Culture
Japanese
Dimensions
600 × 600 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette