10.23.2017
Honoring the culture, lifestyle and art of the samurai warrior through centuries of Japanese history, Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (BGFA) will unveil its new exhibit, Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection, on November 3.
The exhibit includes more than 50 pieces of samurai armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller collection, and will feature full suits of armor, helmets, weapons, horse armor, masks and more. The exquisitely crafted pieces represent the evolution of the samurai warrior’s appearance and equipment spanning 600 years from the 14th-19th centuries. During this time period, Japanese society recognized the advancement of the samurai as a great honor: from archers and swordsmen to an elite class of warriors respected for their military skills, refinement and intellect.
Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection will feature objects that were used both for combat and ceremonial purposes. The pieces convey the complete story of the samurai, a part of the intellectual Japanese elite who not only fought in battle, but also practiced poetry and calligraphy.
“With each of our exhibits, we look to curate compelling collections that combine elements of history and culture, allowing guests to not only view stunning art pieces, but also learn about the context and significance,” said Tarissa Tiberti, executive director of art and culture for MGM Resorts International. “The upcoming exhibit of Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection will embrace a vibrant Japanese art form so rich in tradition, history and creativity, unlike anything we’ve debuted before at Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.”
This exhibit encompasses the entirety of samurai history to allow the visitor to see the evolution of armor as warfare progresses from bows and arrows to swords and guns. Intricate pieces such as lacquered metal helmets adorned with crests, and delicate, detailed armor capable of protecting the samurai in brutal combat, will be on display. Inside the gallery, visitors will experience the masterful craftsmanship of each object and the historical context of the samurai as they walk through this historical epoch in Japanese culture.
“It is the combination of art and armor, the boundless creativity of the objects’ forms, and the aesthetics used by these fierce and cultivated warriors that drew us in to assemble our collection,” said Gabriel Barbier-Mueller.
Samurai: Armor from the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection will be on view November 3, 2017 through April 29, 2018.
Tickets to BGFA are $18 for adults; $16 for Nevada residents, seniors 65 and older, and students, teachers and military with valid ID. Children 12 and younger are free. For groups of 10 or more, the gallery offers special pricing of $12 per person. For additional information, call (702) 693-7871 or (877) 957-9777, or visit bellagio.com/bgfa.
BGFA is open daily 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Last admissions are sold 30 minutes prior to closing. Guests may enjoy complimentary daily docent tours at 2 p.m., and private docent tours are available at an additional cost.
About Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
Located at the heart of the elegant Bellagio Resort & Casino, Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is Las Vegas’ premier exhibition space – where great art goes on vacation. Since opening in 1998, the gallery has presented exhibitions of artworks and objects drawn from internationally acclaimed museums and private collections, including I Am The Greatest: Muhammad Ali, Town and Country: From Degas to Picasso, Yousuf Karsh: Icons of the 20th Century, Picasso: Creatures and Creativity, Fabergé Revealed, Warhol Out West and Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form.
About The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum: The Samurai Collection
The Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller collection is the most complete and largest of its type in the world, selectively amassed by Ann and Gabriel and their children over the past twenty-five years. Centuries of craftsmanship are represented in the collection with objects dating from the seventh to nineteenth centuries.
The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum: The Samurai Collection in Dallas, Texas was created in 2012 to permanently house their ever-expanding collection of samurai masterpieces. The Museum is in the district of Harwood at the historic St. Ann’s School where it is free and open to the public. Beyond the Museum, the dynamic and beautiful compilation of suits of armor, helmets, masks, horse armor, and weaponry are on display in a traveling exhibition as well as the lobbies of Harwood International developments around the world.
Select pieces from the collection have been displayed at the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris; the Musée de la civilisation in Québec City; the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; the Portland Art Museum in Portland, Ore.; the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; Centro Cultural La Moneda, Santiago, Chile; the Denver Art Museum, Denver; the Phoenix Art Museum in Phoenix; and La Biennale Paris in Paris. For more information, please visit www.samuraicollection.org.
This release was published with permission from the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Arts.