Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Tsuba with Chôryô and Kôsekikô
(Japanese Military Armor)
The story on this tsuba is about an encounter between the Chinese government minister Chôryô (Ch. Zhang Liang [Chang Liang]) and the legendary elder Kôsekikô (Ch. Huangshi Gong [Hwang Shi Kung]) in the 3rd century BC. While riding a mule across a bridge, Kôsekikô dropped his sandal. Chôryô returned it to him. As a reward, Kôsekikô gave Chôryô a book of military strategy. Later, Chôryô helped to establish the Han [Han] Dynasty (207 BC-AD 220). At the right of the tsuba, Chôryô is shown with his sword drawn. Kôasekikô's shoe in the water at the bottom and a dragon in the water is on the lower left. On the upper left, Kôsekikô is crossing the bridge on his mule. On the reverse, two pine trees are shown 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.
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Geographies
Japan (Place of Origin)
Measurements
2 7/8 x 2 13/16 x 3/16 in. (7.3 x 7.12 x 0.4 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.
51.272