The National Gallery of Victoria has launched a new exhibition on the Japanese samurai. Bushido: Way of the Samurai examines the popular conceptions of the Japanese samurai, as well as lesser-known identities. This exhibition features not only warriors but also philosophers, poets, and patrons of the fine arts.
Who were the Samurai?
For more than 800 centuries, the samurai warriors were part of the Japanese aristocracy.
Internationally renowned for their fighting techniques and ethics based on duty, honor, and loyalty. The way of the samurai, or bushido, also included a deep appreciation for fine arts and refined cultures. Their highly cultivated ethos was a form of art in and of itself.
The samurai’s status as a cultural elite contributed to their fascination with the world. This has made them iconic historical figures all over the world.
The gallery displays more than 200 items, including samurai cultural objects and samurai armaments. These include Noh theater costumes as well as calligraphic scrolls and lacquer objects.
Some of these rare items have never been exhibited before, including the central piece of the NGV: an ornate armor suit from the Edo Period (1603-1868).
Visitors can learn more by using touch-screen panels. This includes the dramatic mustache made of horsehair, as well as the assembly methods used to hold the armor together.
Armour (18th Century) Metal, wood, paint, lacquer and gold paint, leather, silk, cotton, and metal thread (a to k) 136.0×56.0x45.0cm overall (installation). National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. Gift of Mrs Henry Darlot (1888), 2066. a.k.D1A.
The exhibition brings to life epic battle stories through woodblock prints and large-scale folding screens. The collection includes a number of dramatic retellings and epic adventures that are attributed to legendary Samurai heroes. These combined show that the legend of the samurai is as old as the samurai.
The exhibits that accompany these images of bravery show their weapons of war, tracing the evolution of skills: at first, bows and arrows, but with the advancement of technology, swords, and guns followed.
Although samurai warriors could also use bow and arrow, the iconic image of samurai is usually one of sword fights. Japanese swords are highly regarded for their quality as weapons and art objects.
Portuguese traders introduced firearms to Japan in 1543. The technology was quickly adopted by the local metalsmiths and soon produced. The NGV’s collection includes Japanese samurai samurai-style matchlock guns, along with woodblock prints that depict their use by samurai.
Private samurai
Baron Raimund von STILLFRIED. No title (Samurai In Armour) (c.1875); (c.1877-1880) “printed” albumen silver photo, color dyes, 24.4×19.6cm, (image and sheet), 26.1×21.3cm, (support), National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. The Herald & Weekly Times Limited Fellow, 2001, assisted the NGV Foundation in purchasing the work through their Foundation. 2001.9.
A small collection of rare photos in the exhibit allows you to see men alongside these battle relics and depictions. The exhibition also includes related objects which illustrate their ideologies and influence on society.
The tea ceremony was a form of meditation, discipline, and calmness that samurai practiced.
In the exhibition, you can see the cultural influence and status of the samurai through the miniature armor that is intricately crafted. This is a beautiful example of decorative armor, which is seen in Japan every year as homes and public places decorate up to the Boy’s Day Festival (May 5).
These miniature armor suits represent the childhood aspirations of parents and children towards samurai values. They also reflect the iconic position that samurai still occupy in Japanese culture, a place not solely based on their legendary battle roles but also their historic role as community leaders.
During the peaceful Edo Period, samurai no longer had to be used for warfare but instead held civil and administrative posts in society.
The exhibition includes an ornately-embroidered fireman’s coat dating from the Edo Period when the Tokugawa Shogunate set up a samurai-led fire defense force. The cape has two large roosters seated upon war drums embroidered on it. According to the NGV, the samurai believed that this symbol would dispel evil spirits in the same way mornings dispel darkness.
These artifacts, with their intricate details, show the sophistication of the samurai culture as well as their status. The artifacts also reveal the skill of the artisans and the industries that grew around them.
It is not surprising that the samurai, as figures of cultural refinement and courage, continue to fascinate cultures all over the world. Skilled artisans surround them, and their artwork continues to be captivating.