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Helmet in the Zenshōzan Style with Case

ca. 1700
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 377
Although made in the Edo period (1615–1868), this helmet revives a style that was originally favored centuries earlier, during the Muromachi period (1336–1576). It has several exceptional features, including the raised lobe at the front of the helmet bowl (a type generally known as zenshōzan); the wide and elegant form of the neck guard; and the presence of cheekpieces and a secondary nape defense. Its remarkable similarities to actual helmets from the Muromachi period suggests that it was made by an armorer who had carefully studied and fully understood the defining characteristics of those earlier works.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Helmet in the Zenshōzan Style with Case
  • Date: ca. 1700
  • Culture: Japanese
  • Medium: Helmet: steel, lacquer, copper alloy, gold, leather, textile; case: wood, lacquer
  • Dimensions: Helmet (a): H. 11 7/16 in. (29 cm); W. 22 7/16 in. (57 cm); D. 16 15/16 in. (43 cm); Wt. 8 lb. (3628.7 g); case (b): H. 16 3/4 in. (42.5 cm); W. 21 13/16 in. (55.5 cm); D. 16 1/8 in. (41 cm)
  • Classification: Helmets
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Gift of Herman A. E. and Paul C. Jaehne, by exchange, 2017
  • Object Number: 2017.647a, b
  • Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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