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Source Description
This kozuka depicts the Shepard (Jp. "Hikoboshi") who is separated from his lover, the Weaving Maiden (Jp. "Orihime") by the Milky Way. The celestial lovers meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Their meeting is celebrated in Japan as the Tanabata festival. The Shepard and the Maiden are the stars Altair and Vega. The constellation containing Altair is shown on the right side of the kozuka, above clouds. The Shepard drives an ox in front of him. Two small birds in flight are at the upper left. On the reverse, incised lines indicate water.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
29430
label
Kozuka with the Celestial Shepard (Jp. ""Hikoboshi"")
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
29430
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Kozuka with the Celestial Shepard (Jp. ""Hikoboshi"")
description
This kozuka depicts the Shepard (Jp. "Hikoboshi") who is separated from his lover, the Weaving Maiden (Jp. "Orihime") by the Milky Way. The celestial lovers meet once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Their meeting is celebrated in Japan as the Tanabata festival. The Shepard and the Maiden are the stars Altair and Vega. The constellation containing Altair is shown on the right side of the kozuka, above clouds. The Shepard drives an ox in front of him. Two small birds in flight are at the upper left. On the reverse, incised lines indicate water.
provenance
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
n.d.
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Arms & Armor
kozuka
sword components
handles
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensionsRaw
3 3/4 in. (9.6 cm) (l.)
Source extras
cul
Japanese
inscriptions
none[Sticker - edged with a blue trellis pattern] 563
med
shibuichi, gold, silver, copper
creator_ids
6194
collection_ids
JMA
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
c4f3bf5d13171949
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
d89318586543dbed
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no