Cuirass (<i>Haramaki Dō</i>)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Arms and Armor Department founding curator Bashford Dean's three-month trip to Japan in the spring of 1917 resulted in many important acquisitions for the Museum. Among them was this early example of a haramaki, a light, flexible, and close-fitting type of torso armor that opens vertically up the back. Initially developed in the fourteenth century for fighting on foot, the haramaki was adopted later by samurai cavalry. Although in fragile condition, this example is particularly notable for having most of its original silk lacing, which seldom survives on Japanese armor of this period. Dean acquired it from the dealer Matsumoto Tsuru in Tokyo.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art