BOSTON.- To provide insight into their military prowess and lifestyle, as well as the artistry of their elaborate armor, helmets, and accoutrements of warfare that bear witness to the “way of the warrior,” the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), hosts the US debut of Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection. In this image: Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo: Courtesy of The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum, Dallas© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

BOSTON.- Special highlights of the exhibition include three life-size horses clad in armor to illustrate the pageantry of samurai and their mounts in battle or procession, and a dramatically lit, jewel-box display of beautifully detailed helmets and masks. In this image: Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo: Courtesy of The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum, Dallas© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

BOSTON.- The exhibition, on view from April 14 through August 4, 2013, showcases more than 140 works from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection of Dallas, Texas, one of the finest holdings of samurai armor in the world. Among the works featured are 21 full suits of armor, including one formerly owned by the Yoshiki branch of the Mori clan, a prominent family whose origins date to the 12th century. In this image: Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo: Courtesy of The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum, Dallas© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

BOSTON.- The collection of armor reflects the Barbier-Muellers’ interest in the samurai, a passion that has spanned 25 years and has prompted the sharing worldwide of their works through this exhibition. Previously, Samurai! was on view at the musée du quai Branly in Paris and at the Musée de la civilisation in Québec City. In this image: Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo: Courtesy of The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum, Dallas© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

BOSTON.- Before entering Samurai!, visitors are able to preview many of the works in a dynamic presentation outside of the Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, where a video wall featuring 16 flat screens shows images animated to a soundtrack alternating delicate flute music with rhythmic drumming. Inside the gallery, they are greeted by three samurai wearing majestic suits of armor, including the 18th-century armor of the oyoroi type (Edo period, 1615–1868). In this image: Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo: Courtesy of The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum, Dallas© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

BOSTON.- Elegant “great armor” (oyoroi) is often constructed from more than 2,000 rectangular metal plates joined by leather or silk cording to produce a strong but flexible layer of protection. Flanking it is the armor of the yokohagido type (Nanbokucho, 1333–1392, and mid-Edo, 18th century, periods) bearing the butterfly crest of the Ikeda clan and the armor of the yokohagido type (Muromachi, 1392–1568, and Edo, 1615–1868, periods).

BOSTON.- These colorful and extravagantly detailed suits were ceremonial in nature—worn in processions and during times of peace—but they evoke the kind of artistry and workmanship of armor that would have been worn in battle. In this image: Ridged helmet with large rivets (oboshi sujibachi kabuto) Signed: Masuda Myochin Osumi no kami Ki no Munemasa (active 1688–1749) Mid-Edo period, about 1730 Iron, gold, silver, bronze, shakudo, leather *Photograph by Brad Flowers. © The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum, Dallas *Courtesy, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

BOSTON.- Sets such as these were handed down from father to son. A ceremonial suit of armor for a boy (warabe tosei gusoku, late Edo period, 19th century) also are on view. At a young age, the sons of samurai began military training in weapons and received strict religious and academic instruction. Around the age of 12, they would receive their first armor and sword. In this image: Samurai! Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ann and Graham Gund Gallery, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photo: Courtesy of The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum, Dallas© Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.