印籠刻昆虫図螺鈿据文象嵌鞘打刀拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (<i>Katana</i>)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This mounting features a scabbard with twenty-three striated sections. Eighteen of these are each finished in a different gold lacquer design, including geometric patterns, running water, chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms, while the remaining five are adorned with various insects and a toad. Mother-of-pearl was used for the wings of certain insects and the eye of the toad. Made in the early Meiji period (1868–1912), the mounting displays the highest level of lacquer workmanship of the time. This style of scabbard originated at the turn of the eighteenth century, when the affluent Genroku period (1688–1704) gave rise to luxurious sword mountings.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art