Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With the Motif of Lǐ Bái Viewing a Waterfall (李白観瀑図鐔)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Motif of this lavishly gilded shibuichi tsuba is the Chinese poet Lǐ Bái (李白, Japanese: Ri Haku) gazing at the waterfall at Mt. Lú (廬山). Lǐ later wrote a famous poem on him seeing the falls which turned into a popular motif in painting and the very place into a pilgrimage spot. The artist Hirotoshi (弘寿・弘壽) was the founder of the Mito-based Uchikoshi (打越) School. His real name was Konishi Bunshichi (小西文七) but which he changed later to Uchikoshi Enzō (打越円蔵), hence the name of his school. He had studied with the second master of the Tamagawa (玉川) School, Yoshinaga (吉長), but moved then to Edo. His year of birth and death are unknown but he was active around the eras Kyōwa (享和, 1801–1804) and Bunsei (文政, 1818–1830).

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