Artwork preview

Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rectangular metal object with wavy edges, featuring a gold-colored frame and a central rectangular cutout. The object has a smaller, rounded cutout to the right of the rectangle. The surface is decorated with a floral pattern inlaid with red, white, and blue stones or enamel. The inlaid stones or enamel form rounded shapes resembling flowers or petals. The object appears to be made of metal with a gold-colored finish. The background of the object is dark-colored, possibly brown or black. The object is likely a sword guard, known as a tsuba. The overall design suggests a traditional Japanese aesthetic.

Artwork details

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