Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Tsuba with Minamoto no Yoritomo Hiding with his Warriors in a Hollow Tree
(Japanese Military Armor)
This tsuba shows Minamoto Yoritomo hiding from his enemies in a tree during the Genpei War (1180-1185). Yoshitomo was being followed through the Hakone Mountains by warriors from the Taira clan. One of these warriors, Kajiwara Kagetoki, was secretly a supporter of Yoshitomo. When the Taira soldiers came upon the tree where Yoshitomo was hiding, Kagetoki stuck his bow into the tree. This startled two doves that flew away from the tree. The doves are shown at the upper left of the tsuba. Kagetoki convinced the other Taira soldiers that no one could be in the tree with the doves, thus allowing Yoritomo to escape. Yoritomo's side won the war, and he became the military ruler of the county (shogun).
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)
Japan, Mito (Place of Origin)
Measurements
2 9/16 x 2 5/16 x 3/16 in. (6.56 x 5.8 x 0.42 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.
51.101