Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Tsuba with the Taoist Immortal Kinkô on his Carp
(Japanese Military Armor)
The man riding the carp on this tsuba is the Chinese immortal Kinkô (Ch. Kingao [Kinkao]). The carp is leaping from the waves at the upper right. Kinkô was said to have lived over two centuries and frequently painted fish. The king of the fish offered him a journey through the river. After his visit, Kinkô appeared briefly to his disciples, asked them to never kill fish, and then disappeared into the river. The reverse of the tsuba shows a view of Mt. Fuji.
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, Kyoto (Place of Origin)
Measurements
3 x 2 11/16 x 3/16 in. (7.67 x 6.87 x 0.4 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.
51.228