Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Tsuba with an "Oni" (Demon)
(Japanese Military Armor)
A demon, called an "oni" in Japanese, is depicted crouched down looking at mushrooms. Kiyotoshi cleverly crafted the demon's body using the holes for the sword and short knife found in any tsuba. The demon wears the typical costume of a tiger skin loincloth and carries a Chinese-style fan. Gold highlights the demon's eyes, wrist, ankle, and loincloth. The reverse shows the demon in left profile under a full moon. While demons were originally symbols of evil, they are often depicted in humorous situations.
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
2 13/16 in. (7.1 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.
51.90