Page 289 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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creating powerful works characterized by 213 Daishô sword fittings
the thickness of the background metal and Ishiguro Masayoshi (b. 1774)
the designs carved in high relief. The de- shakudd, gold
sign on this iron tsuba concerns a story diam. left tsuba, 7.6 (3); right tsuba, 7.4
from the war between the Taira and Mina- (27/8)
moto clans in which Minamoto Yoshitsune Edo period, i8th century
(1159-1189), the brother of Yoritomo,
chased the Taira troops and advanced to Private Collection
Mure Takamatsu on the opposite shore Ishiguro Masayoshi, an accomplished
from Yashima. On the front is an armored metalworker who apprenticed with Ishi-
and mounted high-ranking warrior, Yoshi- guro Masatsune of Edo, produced ornate
tsune perhaps, depicted in high relief with sword fittings, often depicting flower and
gold details. The branch of a pine tree is bird subjects on a nanako (raised-dot) sha-
engraved at the top, and a pool of water is kudd ground in high relief, inlay, and gold
carved out in openwork at the bottom. On applied with the iro-e technique. This set
the reverse is a retainer holding a flag be- of fittings is comprised of a pair of tsuba,
neath a high-relief pine tree, its needles in- the kashira (pommels), and the fuchi
cised. On the front, between the opening (metal collars at the blade end of the hilt)
for the kozuka (small knife) on the left and for mountings. All are
a pair of daishd
the tang hole, is engraved the artist's given a nanako shakudd ground and deco-
name, Toshinaga, and his had. HY
rated with a pine tree and gold long-tailed
bird motif. The tsuba are engraved, Juga-
kusai Ishiguro Masayoshi [kao], and the
fuchi, Ishiguro Masayoshi [kao]. HY

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