A travelling monk

[Mario Tod]

Of the many Tsubas in my collection this is one that I know the least about.

Am I correct in guessing that it's late 18th to 19th century? Does anyone have any hunches as to its origin and the school of craftsmanship?

The workmanship is extraordinary and I'm surprised it isn't signed.

The scene depicted seems intriguing. A travelling monk holding a water gourd is startled by a wild horse during his travels beside a river as he passes beneath a particularly beautiful flowering? tree on a windy day.......? I would imagine it must be from at least Japanese or possibly Chinese methodology?

Thanks to everyone for taking a look at this.

 

I actually just happened upon this, a legend I knew nothing about.

 

"In Japanese there is a saying hyōtan kara koma, ‘a horse appearing from a gourd’. It is used when something completely unexpected, even unbelievable, happens. It refers to the legend of Chokara Sennin, an immortal being who owned a horse that when necessary, could be conjured up from his gourd as if by magic. This expression reminds us that in life the unexpected can happen. Nature is as nature befits, fickle and unpredictable."

 

 

[SteveM]

Yes, you got it.

 

Chōkarō Sennin　（aka Zhang Guolao)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Guolao