Art in Depth: Samurai Armor

This powerful figure, seen wearing armor very similar to the Samurai Armor in VMFA’s collection, depicts one of the four heavenly kings, protectors of the cardinal directions in the Buddha’s realm. The armor-clad guardian tramples demons under his feet and perhaps originally held a weapon in his right hand. Constructed with multiple sections of wood, this figure has an austere form and solid volume, a sculptural style typical of the early Kamakura period.

The Battle Paddle

A Samurai fan was used by a samurai commander to signal orders in the battlefield. The exquisite craftsmanship of this piece suggests that it was made for ritual service. This fan features mother-of-pearl inlay with the sun-and-moon motif on one side and two characters meaning “flying dragon” on the other side. Dated to 1716, the fan bears a signature and seal of Tochikudo, an established calligrapher active in Osaka during the mid-Edo period.

Stirrups

This pair of stirrups was cast in the shape of a cradle to support the feet of a rider. Lavishly inlaid silver chrysanthemum designs indicate this pair was intended for ceremonial use rather than the battlefield. The inscription at the edge reveals that this set was made by Nagakuni, a renowned metalsmith from Kashu, today’s Ishikawa Prefecture, who created numerous high-quality silver-inlaid stirrups during the mid-Edo period.

The most impressive scene on the Tokaido Road was the procession of feudal lords, known as daimyos. During the peaceful Edo period (1615-1868), the shogun military government distributed domains to daimyos, in return who were required to stay for two years in Edo serving the shogun.

In the image at left, Hiroshige depicts an early morning scene in Shinagawa on the Edo Bay, the first station of the Tokaido Road. Dressed in travel outfits of a straw hat and shoes, and carrying two swords, the daimyo’s attendants are passing through a street lined with food stalls, while the other pedestrians step aside to clear the street and show respect, as specified by the shogun law.

The Noh mask featured here is carved from a single piece of cypress wood and shows realistic facial features and a restrained yet powerful expression. The Chujo mask is believed to be modeled after Ariwara no Narihira (AD 825–880), a poet and a middle-ranking captain (chujo) in the imperial court.

During a Noh performance male actors wearing masks played both male and female roles.

Why isn't this work on view?

For objects like the armor that include light sensitive materials such as dyed silk and lacquer, cumulative light exposure is limited by controlling the time on view. In this case, the armor was on view for six months and will be kept away from additional light exposure while in storage for five years before displaying it again.  This ensures that the colors of the silk and the sensitive lacquer surfaces will be preserved long into the future.