Helmet (Kawari-Kabuto) in the Shape of a Wave

Helmet crest and restorations by Hiromichi Miura Japanese

Not on view

The kawari-kabuto ("exotic helmet") first gained popularity in the sixteenth century, during the late Muromachi period (1392–1573). Such grand, distinct helmets are thought to have functioned as personal identifiers for elite soldiers on chaotic battlefields thick with smoke and thousands of combatants, allowing commanders to tell friend from foe. They were also means to express one’s taste and stature, worn in the context of processions and state receptions. Samurai often favored powerful and symbolic designs inspired by the natural world. The bowl of this helmet is made of iron, and its dramatic peak, shaped as a cresting wave, is formed from leather.

Helmet (<i>Kawari-Kabuto</i>) in the Shape of a Wave, Helmet crest and restorations by Hiromichi Miura (Japanese, b. 1938), Iron, textile, lacquer, copper, gold, leather, silk, wood, Japanese

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3/4 Right Side

Helmet (<i>Kawari-Kabuto</i>) in the Shape of a Wave, Helmet crest and restorations by Hiromichi Miura (Japanese, b. 1938), Iron, textile, lacquer, copper, gold, leather, silk, wood, Japanese
Helmet (<i>Kawari-Kabuto</i>) in the Shape of a Wave, Helmet crest and restorations by Hiromichi Miura (Japanese, b. 1938), Iron, textile, lacquer, copper, gold, leather, silk, wood, Japanese
Helmet (<i>Kawari-Kabuto</i>) in the Shape of a Wave, Helmet crest and restorations by Hiromichi Miura (Japanese, b. 1938), Iron, textile, lacquer, copper, gold, leather, silk, wood, Japanese

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