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More than War: Samurai at the NCMA

This fall the NCMA presents Samurai: The Making of a Warrior, its first exhibition of East Asian material culture since 1988. Curating from scratch an exhibition on Japan’s premodern warriors when one is not an expert is by no means an easy feat. Yet, it is possible because the Triangle is teeming with incredible resources: private collectors, museums and libraries with wonderful holdings of Asian material culture, universities with Japanese studies programs and experts, and local Japanese groups who are all eager to help. The collegiality, camaraderie, support, and resourcefulness are palpable. At the Museum, staff are buzzing with excitement as well. 
Saotome school, Saotome Iechika (signed), Helmet (kabuto) with red-eared monster, Edo period, circa 1700, iron, leather, lacquer, silk, wood, and horsehair, H. 18.1 × W. 12.2 in., Collection of Gary Grose

Why an exhibition on samurai warriors? Japanese sense of aesthetics has made the samurai armor one of the most recognizable in the world. Every part could be embellished to showcase the status, rank, and wealth of its owner—and their unique personal taste—without decreasing its military effectiveness. In daimyō (warlord) and other wealthy samurai families, armor and swords were collected and displayed to showcase wealth and lineage. Armor and swords were part not only of the visual identity of the samurai but the very reason for their existence. They were art forms to be admired, and many swords and armor became sacred objects, national treasures to be cherished, and family heirlooms passed down through generations. While we should not forget that its intended purpose was for war, the material culture presented in the exhibition can be appreciated for its aesthetics and technical prowess. Indeed, the life and afterlife of objects can be vastly different.

Samurai: The Making of a Warrior departs from typical exhibitions featuring exclusively armor and swords by providing historical, political, cultural, and religious context. The show features 72 samurai arms and armor from an exceptional private collection in Greensboro, NC, displayed alongside 20 visually compelling objects associated with art, culture, and religion borrowed from the Ackland Art Museum, Nasher Museum of Art, Gregg Museum of Art and Design, Rubenstein Library, Harvard Art Museums, and a private collection of Buddhist books. The exhibition thus paints a more nuanced view of samurai culture and history by contrasting the material culture of war with other types of objects that played an integral role in samurai life.

Matching armor and helmet (kabuto) with feathers, Edo period, circa 1650, iron, leather, lacquer, silk, horsehair, hemp (?), and feathers, H. 59.8 × W. 30 in., Collection of Gary Grose

Samurai: The Making of a Warrior is divided into four main sections. The first (The Making of the Status Group) provides the historical and political circumstances that led to the creation of the samurai status group. This history spans roughly a thousand years (794–1868), but the objects in the exhibition date between 1330 and 1900.

The second section (The Making of the Warrior) is dedicated to the arts of war and peace, revealing the rigorous instruction of samurai warriors and their families. Samurai culture beyond martial arts is seldom featured in exhibitions, yet cultural ceremonies and activities were part of broader patterns of politics and social competition in these warriors’ lives. Additionally, several cultural activities—like the tea ceremony—tie into Buddhist religious practices. Within this section, there is an important display that focuses on the life of women of samurai status, some of whom saw action on the battlefield alongside men.

The third and fourth sections highlight the craftsmanship and evolution of armor and arms. The Making of the Armor is dedicated to the colorful protective gear of the premodern Japanese warrior, an armor made for maximum mobility. The Making of the Sword is devoted to the weapon most strongly associated with the samurai today—his sword, whether it be a great sword (tachi), long sword (katana) or short sword (wakizashi).

Bizen Masamitsu (attributed), Sword and matching mountings (koshirae) featuring birds over waves, Muromachi period, circa 1394–1428, steel, wood, lacquer, gold, other metals, stingray skin (same), and silk, H. 5.1 × L. 90 in., Collection of Gary Grose

Another important theme is presented in the second half of the exhibition: the import of foreign materials and skills as well as knowledge and ideas from other Asian nations and the West. This provides an overture for the discussion of the introduction of firearms to Japan, which were as important as swords in samurai warfare from the mid-16th century to the early 17th century. A digital interactive game allows visitors to create their own armor by choosing protective gear for different parts of the body and then check whether their armor is battle-ready by selecting one of various types of weapons. Would you survive with the digital armor you create?

Samurai: The Making of a Warrior invites visitors to consider the original purpose of the material culture of war presented in the exhibition and see its connections with history, art, culture, and politics.

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Picture of Caroline Rocheleau
Caroline Rocheleau is director of research and curator of ancient art at the NCMA.

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