Established in the Heian period (794–1185) as a warrior class, the samurai soon evolved beyond their original purpose as warriors serving specific lords or houses. The Edo period (1603–1868) saw samurai transition into a largely bureaucratic class and the later Meiji period (1868–1912) dissolved the samurai as a social class altogether.
This exhibition showcases both the pastimes and iconographies associated with the male elite during this time. These pastimes, such as calligraphy, landscape painting, and the tea ceremony, were defining features of samurai culture and, by extension, the upper class at large.
Superb craftsmanship and fine materials were a large part of the lavish lifestyles of the highest echelons of the samurai class throughout its long history. These objects here lend themselves to understanding these men as arbiters of taste, culture, and art, particularly in the centuries leading up to the eventual abolition of the samurai class.
From patronizing the creation of sumptuous screens depicting life in Kyoto during the Muromachi period (1333–1573) to the popularization of the tea ceremony and the later development of the bunjinga style of Japanese literati painting, the samurai class was often at the center of new developments in decorative and fine arts. In viewing the objects presented here, one can easily envision the sophistication of taste curated over centuries of samurai support of and participation in the arts.
This exhibition opens with three works by Los Angeles based artist Gajin Fujita, on loan from LA Louver Gallery. Fujita’s works will be on view in conjunction with Crow Museum collection objects through April 2026, creating dialogue between historical and contemporary.