Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif (藻鯉図鐔)

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif (藻鯉図鐔)

Kansai

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

One side of the plate is engraved to resemble running water, the side onto which a large shakudō carp has been inlaid via suemon-zōgan, and seaweed via kinzōgan. The reverse has a polished finish and shows at the bottom left a yellow water-lily (kōhone) and towards the right the name of artist, Kansai, in prominent seal script characters highlighted in gold nunome-zōgan. The rim is undercut and interpreted as dote-mimi. According to tradition, Kansai (寛斎, 1841-1918) was a student of the eighth and last master of the Iwamoto (岩本) School.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif (藻鯉図鐔)Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif (藻鯉図鐔)Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif (藻鯉図鐔)Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif (藻鯉図鐔)Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) with the Carp and Seaweed Motif (藻鯉図鐔)

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.