Armor (Gusoku)

Armor (Gusoku)

Armor (Gusoku)

Armorer:Helmet signed by Bamen Tomotsugu (Japanese, Eichizan province, Toyohara, active 18th century)
Date:18th century
Geography:Toyohara, Okinawa prefecture
Culture:Japanese, Toyohara, Eichizan province
Medium:Iron, lacquer, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), silver, silk, horse hair, ivory
Dimensions:as mounted, H. 58 5/8 in. (148.8 cm); W. 18 3/4 in. (47.6 cm)
Classification:Armor for Man
Credit Line:Gift of Etsuko O. Morris and John H. Morris Jr., in memory of Dr. Frederick M. Pedersen, 2001

The workmanship of this armor and its materials are of the highest quality. It features a kusazuri (skirt) with an extremely rare color scheme of silk lacings in red, yellowish-green, black, and white. The mon (heraldic badge), in the form of three whirling commas (mitsudomoe mon), is that of the Okabe family, feudal lords of Kishiwada (present day Kishiwada City in Osaka Prefecture). The armor is signed on the inside of the helmet: Eichizan no Kuni Toyohara jū Bamen Tomotsugu Saku (Bamen Tomotsugu living in Eichizan province, Toyohara village). Bamen Tomotsugu was the leading armorer of the Bamen school in the eighteenth century. Complete armors signed by him are extremely rare.

Provenance

Ex coll.: Frederick M. Pedersen; Henry Ijima; Etsuko O. and John H. Morris Jr.Dr. Frederick Malling Pedersen, New York (by June 1931–until d. 1947; possibly acquired from Yamanaka and Company, New York; by inheritance to his godson, Henry Shiro Iijima); Henry Shiro Iijima, New York (1947–d. 1994; by inheritance to Etsuko O. and John H. Morris, Jr.); Etsuko O. and John H. Morris Jr., New York (1994–2001; their gift to MMA)
Location : Metropolitan Museum of Art