The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Art of the Samurai:
Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156–1868

October 21, 2009 – January 10, 2010

From stunning swords and archery equipment to painted screens and scrolls, this is the first and most comprehensive exhibition to take place ever in the U. S. devoted to the Japanese warrior’s art. Featuring 214 of the finest masterpieces drawn exclusively from private and public collections, this unparalleled display includes many national treasures never before seen outside of Japan.

As members of the military elite rose to power in Japan in the 12th century, they needed martial prowess as well as political, financial, and cultural acumen to maintain their wealth and position in society. The samurai cultivation of both bu and bun—the arts of war and culture—is demonstrated in the superb quality and craftsmanship of works in silk, steel, lacquer, and other fine materials seen throughout the exhibition.

Highlights include an unparalleled selection of Japanese sword blades—often called the “spirit of the samurai”—dating from the fifth to the 19th century; elaborately decorated helmets with exotic and naturalistic shapes; an extremely rare, 18th-century armor for a woman; and a portrait of the great general Honda Tadakatsu, displayed alongside the armor he is seen wearing in the painting.

The exhibition is made possible by The Yomiuri Shimbun.

Additional support is provided by The Jessica E. Smith and Kevin R. Brine Charitable Trust, the J.C.C. Fund, the Oceanic Heritage Foundation, and the Japan Foundation.

Transportation assistance was provided by Japan Airlines.

The exhibition was organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Government of Japan, and the Tokyo National Museum.

It is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

Left: Dô-maru gusoku (armor of Honda Tadakatsu), detail, Momoyama period, 16th century, Private Collection.
Right: Portrait of Honda Tadakatsu (detail), Edo Period, 17th century, Private Collection.