Tsuba with Chinese Lions Among Clouds

Description Two Chinese style lions are depicted on this tsuba. The body of one forms most of the top edge, while the second lion is at the bottom. Swirling clouds complete the tsuba. These stylized lions are called "Shishi" lions or Fu dogs. They do not resemble actual lions because their iconography was developed in China from painted images of lions brought into China. Lions are not native to either China or Japan.

Provenance Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquistion unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Inscriptions [Seal] 椙浦; [Transliteration] Sugiura; [Signature] 行宗作; [Translation] Yukimune saku

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters