Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi Goshirae</i>) 1500 - 1900

This is a short sword mounting, or Wakizashi Goshirae, made in Japan by Shibata Zeshin. Though undated, we know it was made prior to the artist's death in 1891. The first thing you’ll notice is the wood, with its beautiful grain. But it is not just wood, it is also lacquer. Zeshin was a master of this uniquely Japanese material. Lacquer is created from tree sap, carefully collected and refined. Applied in many thin layers, it creates a lustrous surface. The process requires immense patience and skill. The result is a robust object; not only beautiful, but also highly functional. And think about the social context of the sword in Japan. These weapons were not just tools of combat, but potent symbols of status. They signified the samurai class, who were highly trained not only in martial arts, but also in cultural practices like calligraphy and poetry. Zeshin, though not born into the samurai class, fully understood the historical weight of this object, and its implied social relations.