Artwork preview

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image shows a circular, dark brown sword guard with a central oval-shaped hole and intricate designs. The guard features a dragon design with gold accents on its head and claws, surrounded by swirling patterns. Two creatures resembling dogs or lions are positioned on either side of the oval hole, facing away from it. The background of the image is light gray. The sword guard is titled 'Sword Guard (Tsuba)' by an unspecified artist.

Artwork details

Date:
ca. 1615–1868
Medium:
Copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), gold, copper
Culture:
Japanese
Dimensions:
600 × 600 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette