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Sword guard (Tsuba) Depicting God of Longevity Jurōjin (寿老人図鐔)

late 17th–early 18th century
Not on view
This tsuba depicts the God of Longevity Jurōjin with his attributes staff, scroll, and crane. Jurōjin may also be shown in combination with a deer, which is the attribute of another of the Seven Gods of Furtune, Fukurokuju, hence the two are often confused. Fukurokuju however has a huge elongated head and it is also said that we are facing here just one deity who appears in two different manifestations. The reverse shows running water, a large pine tree, and a figure carrying a box on his back.

The artist Toshinaga (利寿・利壽), first name Tabei (太兵衛) was born in Kanbun seven (寛文, 1667) and studied, depending on source, either with the third or the fourth Nara (奈良) School master, Toshiharu (利治) and Toshinaga (利永) respectively. Taking into consideration the fact that Toshiharu was born in Buroku two (文緑, 1593) (his year of death is unknown), it seems to be more likely that Toshinaga was his master. Toshinaga, whose name is homophonous with that of his master but written with a different character for Naga, was based in Edo and died in the first year of Genbun (元文, 1736).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Sword guard (Tsuba) Depicting God of Longevity Jurōjin (寿老人図鐔)
  • Date: late 17th–early 18th century
  • Culture: Japanese
  • Medium: Iron, gold, silver, copper-gold alloy (shakudō)
  • Dimensions: H. 2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm); W. 2 13/16 in. (7.1 cm); thickness 1/4 in. (0.6 cm); Wt. 4.9 oz. (138.9 g)
  • Classification: Sword Furniture-Tsuba
  • Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
  • Object Number: 91.1.811
  • Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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