Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Tsuba with Chôun Rescuing Gentoku's Infant
(Japanese Military Armor)
Chôun (Ch. Zhao Yun [Chao Yun]) was a 3rd-century warrior fighting in support of the Chinese emperor Gentoku (Ch. Liu Bei [Liu Pei]). At the battle of Changfan Kiao, the emperor had to flee, leaving behind his wife and infant son. Chôun rescued the son. While fleeing with the boy, he had to leap with his horse across a great chasm. On the tsuba, Chôun is depicted on the right, leaping over the chasm. The infant's head is barely visible near the horse's mane. On the reverse another warrior is shown riding past a tree. This may be one of Chôun's pursuers.
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, Tokyo (Edo)
(Place of Origin)
Japan, Mito (Place of Origin)
Measurements
2 7/8 in. (7.3 cm)
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.
51.355