| This Higo tsuba is made of iron in a chrysanthemum shape, with cherry blossoms rendered in ji-sukashi and fine ito-sukashi representing mist between them. The cherry blossoms are not depicted realistically; instead, their five petals are elongated and stylized, with the tips curling inward in warabite-like forms. This bold, highly stylized treatment of cherry blossoms in openwork can be seen in Higo designs of cherry blossoms in mist, typified by the works of Hayashi Matashichi. The blossoms arranged across the tsuba and the delicate openwork of the mist complement one another, evoking a spring scene in which cherry blossoms appear and disappear through the mist. The chrysanthemum-shaped outline and openwork are beautifully balanced, giving the tsuba the refined elegance characteristic of Higo workmanship. Judging from the quality of the iron and the style of workmanship, it was probably made around the middle of the Edo period. Attributed to Higo, it passed the NBTHK Hozon Tosogu shinsa in 2001. |
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