Armor (Gusoku)

Armor (Gusoku)

Bamen Tomotsugu

Details

Dimensions
as mounted, H. 58 5/8 in. (148.8 cm); W. 18 3/4 in. (47.6 cm)
Department
Arms and Armor
Holding institution
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
License
CC0-1.0
Credit
Gift of Etsuko O. Morris and John H. Morris Jr., in memory of Dr. Frederick M. Pedersen, 2001

Art Genome Taxonomy

11 tags

Subject Matter

  • War and Military Both · 99%

    The image clearly shows a complete suit of protective armor, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art classifies it as Armor (Gusoku) and Armor for Man.

Visual Qualities

  • Highly Ornamented Visual · 95%

    The armor is elaborately decorated with layered plates, dense lacing, contrasting cords, metal fittings, and repeated surface details.

  • Patterns Visual · 95%

    Repeated bands, grids, hexagonal forms, and regular lacing create prominent patterned surfaces across the shoulders, torso, sleeves, skirt, and leg defenses.

  • Symmetrical Visual · 88%

    The armor is arranged as a frontal, broadly bilateral ensemble with paired shoulder, arm, hip, and leg defenses.

Time Periods

  • 18th Century Art Metadata · 99%

    The catalog dates the work to the 18th century.

Geographic Regions

  • Japanese Art Metadata · 99%

    The catalog identifies the work as Japanese and gives its place of origin as Toyohara, Echizen province.

Materials

  • Silver Metadata · 94%

    Silver is explicitly listed among the materials in the museum record and is visible in some fittings and accents.

  • Ivory Metadata · 86%

    Ivory is explicitly listed among the materials in the museum record, although the image does not allow the ivory components to be identified with certainty.

Textiles

  • Use of Fabric Both · 95%

    Silk is explicitly listed in the catalog, and numerous textile cords and lacing elements are visibly integrated into the armor.

Antiquities, Artifacts, and Religious Objects

  • Arms and Armor Both · 99%

    The mounted ensemble visibly includes a helmet, face guard, cuirass, shoulder defenses, arm guards, skirt plates, and leg defenses; the catalog department is Arms and Armor.

  • Mask Visual · 93%

    The attached sculpted face guard is clearly visible beneath the helmet, with a projecting mouth opening and horse-hair moustache detail.

Source & rights

Bamen Tomotsugu. Armor (Gusoku). The Metropolitan Museum of Art.