The painting depicts a group of American settlers attempting to defend themselves against attack by a band of Native Americans. A covered wagon pulled by two horses is at the center of the composition; at left, two Native Americans attack the wagon with war clubs and tomahawks; a figure on the lead horse points a pistol directly at the head of one of his attackers, while a figure at the rear of the wagon shoots another attacker. At right other warriors on horseback ride past the train shooting arrows and wielding tomahawks.
the ceremonial degger-axe replicate in jade a common bronze weapon of the Shang dynasty called ge. It has a wide blade with a sharp point at one end and a plain, rectangular tang on the other.
ceremonial jade ge dagger-axe, pointed blade on one end and squared tang for hafting on the other. It was broken and mented in the middle. Traces of cinnabar, red mercury sulfide, remain on the jade surface, indicating it probably came from a Shang elite burial in China. The jade material was probably fire treated to create the bony look.
This 6-fold screen is a depiction of the Battle of Genji and Heike. In samurai armor, the Heike forces approach by ship from the left, while Genji forces rush to the shore on horseback and on foot—drawing the viewer’s attention to the center of the screens, where their confrontation will finally take place. The Heike forces can be identified by the red banners on their ships, while the Genji clan carries white banners.
This painting portrays Saito Musashibo Benkei holding a halberd. Benkei was a Japanese warrior monk, a popular subject of Japanese folklore. Here the painting is accompanied by text, which became common on images with moralistic messages poking fun at society.
Groups of men gamble, smoke, and drink in a dark guardroom. In the left foreground a seated man wearing a red sash lights his white clay pipe, while his companion pauses his smoking to listen to a man standing next to him. The red of the smoker's sash is repeated in the flag and fabrics strewn about in the right foreground, which form part of a still-life of weapons, musical instruments, and glinting armor heaped together against the wall. Between these brightly lit foreground vignettes the scene recedes into the darkened interior where a group of five men gather about a table to gamble.
Circular tsuba, made of iron. It has two holes in the middle. There are two openwork motifs of mushrooms on the lower left. Rusts on some parts of the piece.
This small, flat metal piece has a quartrefoil shape. Two holes in the middle. Flame-like incision all over the piece. Silver is applied around the center hole.
A human face in anguish, with hands raised to his cheeks, looks out from the center of a visual field full of slashing diagonals and explosive triangles of color. On the left side, smoke billows.
A woodblock print, with monochromatic black ink. The impression is good, especially given the detail of the design, although the block appears to have been worn at the outside edges.
Three Apostles: St. John the Evangelist, St. Thomas, and St. James the Less with the Apostles' Creed
Artist
Jan Joest
Physical Description
Three apostles, each holding an identifying attribute, stand in a row as full-length figures on this painted panel. On the left stands the youthful beardless St. John holding a chalice with a snake coiled in the cup. Next to him appears the bald and bearded St. Thomas, holding an architect's square. The bearded figure of St. James the Less appears on the left with an open book in his left hand and a long fuller's club in his right. Scrolls above each apostle's head contain a line from the Apostles' Creed in Latin.
Sword (original) and later handle, sword guard, and scabbard
Artist
Ietsugu
Physical Description
The sword is long and slightly curved; the handle cover is wrapped with black cords, mostly worn out. The round tsuba (sword guard) is made of steel and has two holes. The scabbard is painted with lacquer and has a string for hanging. There is a pair of lion-shaped menuki (fitting) on the handle.
The sword is long and slightly curved; the metal smith's name is engraved on the metal handle. The scabbard is painted with black laquer with image of samurai and cherry tree. He wears a jacket, pants, a straw hat and a sword, holding a brush, possibly writing a poem on a piece of paper hanging from the tree. The figure and tree are painted with rose-color and gold laquer.
A ten-armed figure sits with her legs tucked under her on a tiger with a long uplifted tail. The figure is incised onto the copper plate with a chisel. One set of arms are crossed across her chest, while all but six hands hold weapons. A crossed spear and trident form an X behind the figure. She has wide bracelets at each of her wrists and wears elaborate circular earrings and nose ring with a three partite crown. Two lines in devanagari script are above the figure.
Three warriors march forward, taking up nearly the entire frame. Blue soldiers carring weapons and shields bring up the front and rear. They appear to move through a stylized tree landscape.
Multi-colored ink on paper. Prominent reds, yellows and blues. Six figures, three smaller (clothed), three larger (nude or semi-nude). Scene of worship.
Digambara Jain manuscript page: Jina venerated by a monk, raja, and warriors
Artist
Artist Unknown, India, Sirohi School
Physical Description
The image is divided in to two main halves.
The top half is divided in 3, and the bottom half divided in 6. All the divided spaces, except for the lower right corner contain a human figure. In the top half the two outer figures face inward toward the central figure who is seated on a panel slightly above them. The central figure is yellow, with out clothing, on a red background outlined with an olive green border. The figure to the left is cream colored without clothing on a pinkish background. While the figure to the right is clothed in red on a green background.
The figures in the lower half carry shields and various weapons. The dominate colors in each of the 6 sections rotates between green, blue, red and yellow.
Battle of the Romans under Scipio against the Carthaginians
Artist
Agostino di Musi
Physical Description
A group of men wage battle against each other in a rocky landscape. Some of the men wear ancient Roman armor while others are only partially clothed. The combatants wield spears and swords, and some are on horseback. The mounted soldier in the center of the scene holds a large banner. A burning city is visible in the distance.
Vishnu stands with his legs apart holding his four attributes in his hands. Reading in clockwise direction from his right front hand he holds: his club, discus, conch and lotus, here a rather flat object cupped in his palm. His back two arms are extremely short. The figure is encircled with a decorated arch with a line of beads and triangular shaped openings around them. A stylized sun and moon are to either side of Vishnu’s head. He wears a variety of simple, lumpy jewelry at his feet are a horse to his right and a bull or cow to his left and between them are three rings lying flat on the base. At the front of the base are seven stylized horses, identifying this as a combination figure: Vishnu and the sun god Surya, whose chariot is pulled by seven horses.
Tsuba (sword guard) with design of blowfish, shrimp and plant
Artist
Seishinsai
Physical Description
This small, flat piece made of light brown brass (called "sentoku" in Japanese) has a round diamond shape. It has a triangular shaped hole in the center and another round hole on one side. Artist’s name is signed between the two holes. The surface is slightly concaved from the rim. The front has relief design of a shrimp, blowfish, and bamboo branch. On the back, there are designs of a spiral shell, a barnacle, and water drops. The sea motifs are inlayed with gold, silver, copper, and shakudô (copper-gold alloy).
Century
19th century
Object Creation Date
19th century
Accession Number
1978/2.3
Medium and Support
Brass with gold, silver, copper, and shakudô (copper-gold alloy) inlays
Tsuba (sword guard) with design of Kanzan (Chinese, Han Shan) and Jittoku (Chinese, Shihde), two Zen eccentrics
Artist
Artist Unknown, Japan
Physical Description
Circular tsuba, made of iron. It has two holes in the middle. Two figures, Kanzan and Jittoku, are carved on the lower right corner. Kanzan, who holds a scroll on his hand, and Jittoku, who holds a bloom stick and pointing to the sky, are looking upward. The two figures are carved slightly higher than the surface. On the back, there is the moon partially obscured by clouds. Gold and silver alloy inlays are applied to the moon and the clouds. Gold is also inlayed in their eyes, parts of the garments, and Kanzan's scroll. Shakudô (copper-gold alloy) is inlayed in Jittoku's bloom and his jacket collars.
Century
18th century
Object Creation Date
early 18th century
Accession Number
1978/2.5
Medium and Support
Iron with gold, silver, and shakudô (copper-gold alloy) inlays
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.
Plate Inscribed with Flying Figure of Hanuman Holding a Flag, Mace and Spear
Artist
Artist Unknown, India, Rajasthan
Physical Description
Hanuman is depicted with a human body and a monkey head. The image is incised on the plate and his body is entirely textured with characters in the devanagari script. Often merely the letter ‘r’ designating the god Rama with whom he is associated. He is in a striding posture and there are a number of sections of text scattered around the image. At his feet is a human figure walking in the opposite direction. He holds a double flag consisting of two triangular shapes facing him in his left hand along with a thin club. One appears to emanating from his mouth? His right hand is lifted with an arrow above it and his tail curves behind him. There is also a small altar depicting the two feet of Rama in the area between his outstretched leg and the end of a scarf wrapped around his body.
Six-armed Bodhisattva Mañjusri, standing, with two celestial attendants
Artist
Artist Unknown, India
Physical Description
Mañjusri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, standing with two celestial attendants. This representation of Manjushri includes six arms, one of which holds a sword, while a narrow book (modeled after books made from palm leaves) lays across his upper hand. Manjushri is wearing an ornamented crown and necklace, and is encircled by a halo of flames.
