Tsuba with a Tiger on a Cliff

Description On the right side of this tsuba, a tiger is perched on a cliff. While tigers are not native to Japan, they have long been known through Chinese painting. The tiger is often a symbol of strength. The reverse of this tsuba shows two pine trees under a gibbous moon.

Provenance Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Inscriptions [Signature] 一行斎　篤興; [Translation] Ikkôsai Tokuoki

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters