Search Results

Title

No. 6 of the series of 12 prints;

Artist

Artist Unknown, China

Century

20th century

Object Creation Date

1788-89, Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1912)

Accession Number

1956/1.82

Medium and Support

engraving on paper

Artist

China, Artist Unknown

Primary Keywords

battle

cliffs

groups

road

samurai

seas

seascapes

soldiers

spears

swords

trees

war

warriors

water

weapon

Title

Tsuba (sword guard) with inlaid design of samurai on horseback at the shore

Artist

Harunori

Physical Description

This small, flat metal piece has a quartrefoil shape. Three holes in the middle. Some chips can be seen around the center hole, which mended with silver and copper. A samurai on horseback is charging into the sea from steep hill; he is wearing a helmet, armor, and sword, and holding a fan. A pine tree is standing on the samurai’s right side; there are rocks and bamboo grass by the ocean. The motifs of the ocean, pine tree, bamboo grass and rocks also appear on the reverse side. Gold and some silver and copper inlays are applied on pine branches, samurai's helmet, horse's mane and bridle, bamboo grass on the shore, and spray from waves.

Century

18th century

Object Creation Date

18th century

Accession Number

1978/2.2

Medium and Support

iron with gold, silver, and copper inlays

Artist

Harunori

Primary Keywords

bamboo

horse

ocean

pine tree

samurai

Title

Tsuba (Sword guard) with inlaid design of egrets and reeds(attached to 1973/2.88)

Artist

Artist Unknown, Japan

Physical Description

This tsuba is a flat iron plate with quatrefoil design. It has three holes: one for blade (middle) flanked by oval-shape hole (for kougai) and oval with bump shape (for kozuka). Egrets and reeds decorate the surface, distributed in a curve that climbs counter-clockwise from the bottom left register, culmiating in the top left with a lone egret in flight. Egrets on the bottom of the piece perch on the ground or nest in the golden reeds.

Century

18th century

Object Creation Date

1615-1868

Accession Number

1978/2.12

Medium and Support

iron with gold and silver inlays

Artist

Japan, Artist Unknown

Primary Keywords

birds

samurai

sword

Title

Sword scabbard ornament (menuki) in the shape of a lobster, pair with 1982/2.15

Artist

Artist Unknown, Japan

Century

19th century

Object Creation Date

19th century

Accession Number

1982/2.14

Medium and Support

iron with gold inlay

Artist

Japan, Artist Unknown

Primary Keywords

lobster

samurai

weaponry

Title

Yoshiwara District

Artist

Artist Unknown, Japan

Century

18th century

Object Creation Date

early 18th century

Accession Number

1980/2.209

Medium and Support

handscroll fragment, ink and color on paper

Artist

Japan, Artist Unknown

Primary Keywords

courtesans

handscroll

house

japan

kimono

musical instruments

samurai

swords

ukiyo e

Title

Sword scabbard ornament (menuki): lion (pair w/ dragon, 1982/2.18)

Artist

Artist Unknown, Japan

Century

19th century

Object Creation Date

19th century

Accession Number

1982/2.17

Medium and Support

copper with gold

Artist

Japan, Artist Unknown

Primary Keywords

lions

samurai

weaponry

Title

Sword (13th century) and scabbard (18th century) with design of samurai writing a poem under cherry tree

Artist

Kagemitsu

Physical Description

The sword is long and slightly curved; the metal smith's name is engraved on the metal handle.

Artist Life Dates

(active late 13th–early 14th century )

Century

Late 13th-Early 14th century

Object Creation Date

1299-1301

Accession Number

1973/2.85

Medium and Support

forged steel blade with wooden handle and scabbard

Artist

Kagemitsu

Primary Keywords

cherry trees

hilt

poems

samurai

scabbard

Title

Arashi Rikan [I or II] in a samurai role

Artist

Toyokawa Yoshikuni

Artist Life Dates

(active 1803 - 1840, Osaka)

Century

19th century

Object Creation Date

circa 1810-1837

Accession Number

2002/2.357

Medium and Support

woodblock print on paper

Artist

Toyokawa, Yoshikuni

Primary Keywords

actors

samurai

swords

Title

Twenty-four Warriors (Kôyô nijûshi-shô no hitori)

Artist

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Artist Life Dates

1797 - 1861

Century

19th century

Object Creation Date

1853

Accession Number

1987/1.161

Medium and Support

color woodblock print on paper

Artist

Utagawa, Kuniyoshi

Primary Keywords

samurai

sword

Title

Oban Triptych (Right Side) Sawamura Ujûrô II as Toneri Matsuômaru (???) in the play Sugawara denju tenarai kagami

Artist

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

Physical Description

One of a set of three Japanese woodblock prints. Depicts a samurai in preparation to fight, includeds captions in Japanese.

Artist Life Dates

1797-1861

Century

19th century

Object Creation Date

1849-1853

Accession Number

2011/2.199.3

Medium and Support

woodblock print on paper

Artist

Utagawa, Kuniyoshi

Primary Keywords

japanese

samurai

woodblock prints

Title

Actor Ichikawa Ichizô III as Kinryû Kumokichi

Artist

Utagawa Toyokuni I

Physical Description

Japanese style woodblock print of a samurai standing with his back facing the viewer. The woodblock print has been colored during the printing process. The samurai figure takes up the majority of the image, with printed Japanese in the upper and lower right corners of the print.

Artist Life Dates

1769-1825

Object Creation Date

early 19th century

Accession Number

2009/2.100

Medium and Support

woodblock print on paper

Artist

Utagawa, Toyokuni I

Primary Keywords

japanese

kabuki

samurai

woodblock prints

Title

Armor and Helmet with Paulownia Crests

Artist

Workshop of Mitsusada

Physical Description

The armor is comprised of a round helmet with a neck protector and a crescent-moon shaped ornament; a mask with fake mustache; an upper-body protector with sleeves from waist down and paulownia crest in the middle; a thigh cover; two metal leg protectors; two arm and hand protectors. The suit is stored in a black lacquered box with the gold crest.

The helmet is made of red-painted metal lined with indigo-died cotton fabric and deer skin leather trim, which is attached to the metal helmet. The cotton is quilted with indigo-dyed cotton threads. There are two loops on side and one loop in the back, to hold a code for tying below the wearer’s chin. The code is indigo-dyed and then plaited; there are some fading areas. On the outside of helmet, the paulownia crest is on side flaps (to protect ears). There is a hole in the middle of the helmet for a head ornament. The metal leaves are interlaced with cotton strings. Ceremonial knots of yellow code on the back. It weights about 10 pounds.

The helmet ornament is in crescent moon shape and made of lacquered wood in gold color. There is a slot on the back to place the ornament in the helmet. The slot is nailed to the wood; it looks like a later creation.

The mask covers below the wearer’s eyes, ears, nose and mouth, and down to front neck. The upper part is made of metal; the neck is in metal pieces and cotton codes. The mustache is made of animal hair. The mouth has fake teeth painted with gold.

The arm and hand protectors are made of red-painted metal shell and silk fabric with small flower motifs lined with deerskin and indigo-dyed cotton fabric. The shell is consisted of small metal panels connected with chains. The hand protectors have three different crests. The protectors are tied with indigo dyed cotton codes on back.

The leg protectors are also made of red-painted metal with silk fabric lining. On the metal surface of each piece, there are the artist’s signature and seal.

The body is consisted of metal panels, lacquered with gold in design of peonies and vines. The family crest appears in the middle. Metal knots are in chrysanthemum design. Inside is lined with leather printed with lions and peonies. The shoulder pads are made of cotton quilt in tortoise shell design.

The apron for thighs is made of silk fabric quilt and metal panels. The metal panels protect thighs. The apron belt is made of cotton kasuri; the back is lined with indigo dyed cotton.

The thick belt for the body is made of padded silk fabric.

Century

19th century

Object Creation Date

19th century

Accession Number

2006/1.146A-M

Medium and Support

metal, lacquer, silk cords, and silk fabric

Artist

Workshop of Mitsusada

Primary Keywords

armor

crests

moons, crescent

samurai