LACMA

ShopMembershipMyLACMATickets
LACMA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@lacma.org
(323) 857-6000
Sign up to receive emails
Subscribe
© Museum Associates 2026
  • About LACMA
  • Jobs
  • Building LACMA
  • Host An Event
  • Unframed
  • Press
  • FAQs
  • Log in to MyLACMA
  • Privacy Policy
© Museum Associates 2026
Collections

Shozui
Sword Guard with Design of Buddhist Hell and Paradisemid-19th century

Not on view
Iron tsuba (Japanese sword guard) with high-relief decoration: a gilded demon figure with wild hair faces a small crouching figure amid stylized waves, with inlaid gold and teal accents against a dark patinated ground
Iron tsuba with shakudo ground, featuring high-relief inlay in gold and silver. Two seated figures face each other before rocky outcroppings flanking the central blade opening; the left figure in gold robes holds a bowl, the right figure in silver has long white hair. A silver lotus blossom rises on a stem at upper left.

Shozui, Sword Guard with Design of Buddhist Hell and Paradise, mid-19th century, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gift of Dwight and Hoda Culver in memory of Harry Wyckoff, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA

Artist or Maker
Shozui
Title
Sword Guard with Design of Buddhist Hell and Paradise
Place Made
Japan
Date Made
mid-19th century
Period
Edo period (1603-1868) or Meiji period (1868-1912)
Medium
Mixed metal with inlay of gold, silver, copper, and shibuichi
Dimensions
3 1/2 x 3 1/4 x 1/8 in. (8.89 x 8.26 x .32 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Dwight and Hoda Culver in memory of Harry Wyckoff
Accession Number
AC1992.300.1
Classification
Arms and Armor
Collecting Area
Japanese Art