Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Tsuba with Marishiten
(Japanese Military Armor)
Standing on a charging bull at the right side of this tsuba is the Buddhist deity Marishiten. She is known as the Queen of Heaven, despite her masculine appearance. She has three faces. Her six arms (normally eight) carry a sword, a bow and arrow, and a spear. She is believed to reside in the stars of Ursa Major. The inscription on the front says that it was presented by the Suwa clan by orders of the ruler. The Suwa clan controlled the area that is now Nagano prefecture. The reverse has two Suwa oak leaf crests.
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)
Measurements
3 1/2 x 3 3/8 x 1/4 in. (8.9 x 8.5 x 0.59 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.
51.253