3rd Quarter 2006
Newsletter
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Past Tense
Past Tense, written by museum
registrar, Sharon Buxton, offers historical background for
displayed artifacts.
Portrait of a
Samurai
The poster boy for our
75th
Anniversary, the Samurai warrior, has startled many a visitor
who unexpectedly confronted this fierce sentinel of the Asian
gallery. In the right light, he has a certain lifelike quality.
The Samurai tradition
began in the 12th
c, continuing through the 19th.
This elite class formed to protect the overlords was associated
with an unwritten code of courage and loyalty. The rigorous
training of a Samurai, in which physical hard-ships were
expected and heroic death in battle was the ultimate goal, often
began at an early age. Not just martial arts were acquired
during training, however. The Samurai were also adept at skills
such as calligraphy, philosophy and poetical composition.
JHM’s armor is typical
of the 18th c. It consists of a one-piece metal torso, with the
remainder a combination of cloth, chain mail, and individual
lacquered metal scales joined by silk cords, affording the
warrior freedom of movement. Taken as a whole, the armor
weighed about 25 pounds (much lighter that the “knights in
shining armor” of England) and protected the Samurai starting
from the top of his head—i.e., helmet, to the tips of his
toes—foot guards. The half mask shielding the lower portion of
his face was designed not only to protect, but to instill fear
into the hearts of the enemy. Usually constructed with a
fierce, scowling countenance, our Samurai’s mask also sports a
moustache (of yak hair, horse hair or hemp?) to enhance his
warlike appearance. The mask rarely covered the entire face,
but with the neck guard extension it was a vital part of the
armor, hindering the very likely possibility that the Samurai’s
head become the battle trophy of his opponent. It is also
suggested that the mask gave the warrior the option of sending a
double into battle—not to avoid confrontation, but to further
the illusion of their almost myth-like status, by appearing in
two places at once.
Even the support for our
Samurai armor has its place in history. In the late 19th
and early 20th
centuries, when Asian collections were becoming sought after,
woodcarvers created special
life-sized mannequins often considered sculpted one-of-a-kind
masterpieces, to display important wardrobes in palaces and
museums. Browsing through a book on Samurai trappings, the
similarity of pose and basic structure is uncannily familiar.
With the stereotypical Asian features, it lacks only the short
ponytail warriors wore stuck through the hole in the top of the
helmet.
If you
haven’t viewed the warrior in a while, come visit. He is sure
to welcome you with his trademark glare . . . and perhaps . .
.a slow wink?
Album Cover Art: The Vinyl Years
Don’t miss
Album Cover Art: The Vinyl Years,
on display through October 1. The show includes over 200 album
covers, antique record players, some 45s and a memory board for
sharing thoughts about a beloved album. Visitors are also
encourage to vote on their favorite cover. So far, the
Beatles’s
Sgt.
Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band
is winning.
Gary Wolfgang added good
sounds to the opening reception of
Album Cover Art.
The effect was a fun melding of sight and sound. When Jon
Cotterman picked up Gary’s second guitar, the merriment became
audible. We thank Gary (and Jon) for making the evening
memorable!
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