Sword Guard (Tsuba) Depicting Bamboo Vase for Ikebana and Plum Branch

Japanese

Not on view

This Bushū (武州) School tsuba shows a three-dimensionally (nikubori) interpreted openwork (ji-sukashi) of centrally a large bamboo vase with an ikebana-style arrangement of a plum branch holding two blossoms. The plum represents spring but combined with bamboo in the form of a bamboo vase, it is possible that the motif is an allusion to the subject of the Four Nobles Ones (shikunshi, 四君子), a collective term for the plum blossom, the orchid, the bamboo, and the chrysanthemum. That is, it is possible that this tsuba once belonged to a pair of tsuba (daishō) where the smaller one, the shō, depicted an openwork of orchid and chrysanthemum.

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) Depicting Bamboo Vase for <i>Ikebana</i> and Plum Branch, Iron, Japanese

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Obverse

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) Depicting Bamboo Vase for <i>Ikebana</i> and Plum Branch, Iron, Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) Depicting Bamboo Vase for <i>Ikebana</i> and Plum Branch, Iron, Japanese

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