Sword Guard (Tsuba) With (probably) the Motif of The Seven Sages in the Bamboo Groove (竹林七賢か透鐔)

Japanese

Not on view

This Sōten (宗典) School tsuba shows five Chinese figures in three-dimensional openwork (nikubori ji-sukashi) which are colored in gold, silver, copper, and shakudō. One person is getting portrayed by a painter and the remaining three appear to carry standards which suggests that they are retainers of the sitting person that is portrayed. Although set in a pine grove, the motif may represent that of The Seven Sages in the Bamboo Grove (Chikurin no shichiken, 竹林七賢) which is frequently found on works from this school.

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With (probably) the Motif of The Seven Sages in the Bamboo Groove (竹林七賢か透鐔), Iron, gold, copper, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), Japanese

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Obverse

Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With (probably) the Motif of The Seven Sages in the Bamboo Groove (竹林七賢か透鐔), Iron, gold, copper, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), Japanese
Sword Guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With (probably) the Motif of The Seven Sages in the Bamboo Groove (竹林七賢か透鐔), Iron, gold, copper, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), Japanese

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