Sword Guard (Tsuba) With Shishi Lion and Peonies Motif (獅子牡丹図鐔)
Not on view
This tsuba shows a shishi lion who crawls through one of the hitsu-ana (opening for scabbard accessory) which is carved to represent a rock formation, thus half of his body is carved out of the obverse and half of the reverse. A large and prominent peony is depicted at the bottom right of the obverse and so the motif alludes to the Nō play Shakkyō (石橋), The Stone Bridge, which features a famous scene of a shishi lion dancing among peonies.
Tsu Jinpo (1721-1762), first name Hachizaemon (八左衛門), was an Edo-based artist who had studied with the fourth Nomura master Masamichi (正道, 1707-1754) but who is also assumed to have trained with Gotō School.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.