Round tsuba depicting Sōsan, a Paragon of Filial Virtue, and his mother

Title

Round tsuba depicting Sōsan, a Paragon of Filial Virtue, and his mother
Associated place

Japan (place of creation)
Date

17th century (1601 - 1700)
Material and technique

iron, with cut and filed openwork decoration, and with engraved decoration; tang-hole plugged with soft metal, probably copper
Material index

iron;

copper
Technique index

forged;

openwork;

cut;

engraving;

plugged
Object type

tsuba
Dimensions

7.4 x 7.4 cm (height x width)
No. of items

1
Credit line

Bequeathed by Dame Jemima Church, in accordance with the wishes of her Husband, Sir Arthur H. Church, 1929.
Museum location

not on display
Museum department

Eastern Art
Accession no.

EAX.10036

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Catalogue text

Sparse openwork depicting the story of Ts'ao Ts'an (in Japanese Sōsan), one of the Chinese Paragons of Filial Piety, who, when a boy, gathering firewood in the forest, was summoned home to his mother by an act of mental telepathy; the two figures are here shown, the mother on a veranda, with two small faggots and a tuft of herbage below and clouds above; engraving finish.

tsuba

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