Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Kozuka with Dragonfly
(Japanese Military Armor)
A gilded dragonfly fills the right side of the kozuka. Dragonflies are a symbol of autumn. There is also an ancient tradition of calling Japan "Dragonfly Island" because the legendary first emperor, Jimmu, thought that when viewed from the top of a mountain the islands had the shape of a dragonfly. The kozuka has a hole for a cord at the right.
Inscription
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Geographies
Japan (Place of Origin)
Measurements
3 3/4 in. (9.5 cm) (l.)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
51.751