Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>) With Chrysanthemum Motif (菊花図鐔) 1750 - 1825

This 18th-century Japanese sword guard (tsuba) by the artist Masayoshi is an excellent example of Edo-period metalwork. It features a chrysanthemum motif, a symbol of the imperial family in Japan, and is crafted in the shape of a circle with a central opening for the sword's blade. The tsuba's intricate design is achieved through a process of repoussé, where the metal is hammered from the back to create raised details. This finely crafted piece of Japanese art, on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is both aesthetically pleasing and historically significant.