Sword guard (</>Tsuba</i>) Depicting Exiled Writer and Statesman Su Shi (蘇東坡図鐔)

1750–1800

Not on view

This tsuba depicts statesman Su Shi (1037–1101, art name Dongpo, Japanese: So Tōba) on horseback, riding through a winterly bamboo forest en route to one of his multiple exiles. The reverse shows two of his servants.

The artist Naoyoshi (直悦) studied with the first Yanagawa (柳川) School master Naomasa (直政, 1692-1757) but worked primarily in the style of the Hamano (浜野) School.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Sword guard (</>Tsuba</i>) Depicting Exiled Writer and Statesman Su Shi (蘇東坡図鐔)
Date: 1750–1800
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Copper alloy (possibly sentoku), copper
Dimensions: H. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm); W. 2 11/16 in. (6.8 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 4.5 oz. (127.6 g)
Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Object Number: 91.1.791
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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