Tsuba with a Tiger in a Bamboo Grove

Description On the right side of this tsuba sits a tiger. The tiger is a symbol of strength. Tigers are often depicted with bamboo. This pairing symbolizes the hospitality of the weak (bamboo) for the strong (tiger). Bamboo is also depicted on the reverse of the tsuba. Small amounts of gold highlight the bamboo.

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

Inscriptions none

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters