Tsuba with Watanabe no Tsuna Pursuing the Earth Spider into her Cave
(Japanese Military Armor)
On the front of the tsuba, Watanabe no Tsuna (953-1025) is shown on the right dressed in armor. On the left, the earth spider is shown in his cave. Tsuna followed the earth spider to the cave after the spider tormented Tsuna's lord, Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021) while the later was ill. Yorimitsu recovered when Tsuna killed the spider. The cave is also depicted on the reverse of the tsuba.
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 3/8 x 2 1/4 x 3/16 in. (6 x 5.76 x 0.43 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.
51.249