Artwork preview

Pair of Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Copper-colored metal ornaments in the shape of crustaceans. Two ornaments are shown. Each has a long, thin, tapering protrusion extending from the front. The body of each ornament has a rounded section at the rear and a more jagged section at the front. There are ridges and bumps along the body, and two small, round eyes. The ornaments are symmetrical but not identical, with some differences in detail and texture. They are on a light gray background. The ornaments are titled "Pair of Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)" by an unknown artist.

Artwork Details

Date
18th century
Medium
Copper, copper-gold alloy (shakudō)
Culture
Japanese
Dimensions
600 × 480 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette