A Japanese Meiji Period Bronze Figure Of A Samurai Warrior

A superb and very fine quality Japanese nineteenth century Meiji period gilt and patinated bronze figure of a samurai warrior, the samurai with his dark hair swept back in a high pigtail, wearing an elaborate kimono decorated with gilded lotus and peony flowers, over a pair of hakama (pantaloons), with sandals on his feet and holding one sword in his left hand while another is tucked into his belt
Japan, Meiji period, date circa 1880
Height 23 cm.
The famous samurai of Japan were a hereditary and noble military caste who helped shape and rule Japan from the twelfth century up until their abolition in the 1870s during the Meiji period. In Japan, samurai, known as bushi (meaning warrior) were usually associated with a clan or lord and were highly trained officers in combat and strategy. They lived by the code of bushido (way of the warrior) which was of Confucian origin, that taught loyalty, self-discipline and respect. Samurai used a variety of weapons including spears, bows and arrows and even guns in the later years, but the weapon most commonly associated with them and for which they are famed was the sword. As a mark of their social power and personal honour, they would usually wear a pair of swords, known as daisho (meaning big-little) since one was larger than the other. Although there are many sizes and classes of samurai swords, the most common pairing would be the katana and the wakizashi. The former was longer and used primarily for open combat, while the wakizashi, being shorter, was more versatile for indoor fights and personal defence. The notorious Japanese samurai swords were made of tempered steel with an extremely tough cutting edge backed by softer metal. This was achieved by repeatedly hammering and folding iron slabs together, a process that removes impurities and creates a crystalline pattern in the metal blade which was distinctive to the swordsmith. Once formed, the blade is covered with a light coating of clay or ash, heated and then submerged in a trough of cool water. After removal the heat-tempered blade edge would be polished and the name of the maker inscribed on the tang (the part of the blade that goes into the handle).
Whilst samurai are easily identifiable, over the years, these warriors wore a number of different costumes, from fully protective armour, including a helmet, to elaborate ceremonial kimonos. Our samurai figure wears a lavish kimono decorated with lotus and peony flowers, with the former symbolising purity, enlightenment, and the potential for spiritual growth while the latter represents beauty, honour, wealth, and good fortune.
From the twelfth century up until the beginning of the early 1600s, samurai were generally regarded purely as military warriors. And though they also served as bureaucrats and administrators during that period, those positions were generally secondary to their role as fighters. However, during the Edo period, from 1603 up until 1868, samurai predominantly acted in a civil and political capacity, especially working as diplomatic ambassadors. It appears that our figure belongs to this group of samurai since he wears a ceremonial dress and has a genial expression. One of the best-known ambassadorial samurai was Hasekura Tsunenaga (1571-1622), who was a kirishitan (or Christian) samurai of Japanese imperial descent, whose ancestry dates back to Emperor Kanmu (735-806). He is especially remembered for leading a diplomatic mission of Japanese delegates to Europe where he presented letters of request for trade. The mission began in 1613, when he set sail for Europe. He visited Italy, where he met with Pope Paul V in Rome and also travelled to New Spain and various European ports before returning to Japan in 1620. Tsunenaga’s portrait (now in a private collection), painted in 1615 by the Italian artist Archita Ricci (1560-1635), to mark the occasion of his audience with the Pope, shows him, like our bronze figure, wearing his hair in a high pigtail, a ceremonial kimono over pantaloons, sandals and pair of daisho swords tucked through his belt.