Tsuba with the Bodhisattva Kannon
(Japanese Military Armor)
The bodhisattva Kannon sits on the right side of the tsuba. While the bodhisattva is neither a man nor a woman, depictions of this type have a distinctly feminine aspect. She is called the "White Robed Kannon" because of her costume. She sits near a waterfall. Kannon is a compassionate deity who helps humans achieve Buddhahood. The reverse of the tsuba depicts lotus flowers, which are associated with Buddha and other Buddhist deities.
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, Tokyo (Edo)
(Place of Origin)
Japan, Kyoto (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 3 3/8 × W: 2 15/16 in. (8.5 × 7.5 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
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.
51.218