Tsuba with floral motifs and a butterfly - Bilbao Fine Arts Museum

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Tsuba with floral motifs and a butterfly

Anonymous, Japanese

Early 18th century

Cooper, iron, gold and silver

6.3 x 5.8 x 0.5 cm

Early 18th century

82/1001

Donated by María de Arechavaleta, from the collection of José Palacio in 1953

This 18th century tsuba is made from an alloy of several metals, the gold relief decoration portraying flowers and a butterfly. The simplicity of the decoration points to the early 18th century. (Fernando García Gutiérrez, 2008)

Selected bibliography

  • Arte japonés y japonismo [Cat. exp.]. Bilbao, Bilboko Arte Ederren Museoa-Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, 2014. pp. 161, 509-511, 513, 515-516, 525, 541, n° cat. 25.
  • García Gutiérrez, Fernando. "Tsuba : Japoniako zaldunen ezaugarri bat. Tsuba bilduma Bilboko Arte Eder Museoan = Un signo distintivo de los caballeros de Japón. Colección de tsuba en el Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao = The Mark of the Kinghts of Japan. The Tsuba Collection at the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum", B'07 : Buletina = Boletín = Bulletin, n° 3. 2008. pp. 101-159.
  • Caeiro Izquierdo, Luis. La Cultura Samurai : armas japonesas en las colecciones españolas [tesis inédita]. Madrid, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1991.