Artwork preview

Pair of Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Two dark brown, metal ornaments in the shape of dragons. The top ornament depicts a dragon lying down, head to the right, body curved and tail to the left. The dragon has a long neck, small legs and large claws. The dragon's body is covered in scales and spiky protrusions along its back. The bottom ornament depicts a similar dragon lying down, head to the right. This dragon also has a long neck, small legs and large claws, with scales and spiky protrusions on its body. The bottom dragon has a gold-colored piece attached to its tail. The background is light gray. The ornaments are titled "Pair of Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)" and are by an unknown artist.

Artwork Details

Date
18th century
Medium
Iron, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), gold
Culture
Japanese
Dimensions
600 × 400 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette