Gentleman Warrior: Art of the Samurai features a display of the armor of an 18th-century samurai. Though the function of this military equipment was to protect the vital parts of a warrior from bullets, swords, and arrows, it's also a work of art. From afar, the samurai looked huge and terrifying. But close up, as your life was cut down by his sword, the last things you saw were the beautiful details: the crested helmet; the gorgeous laces of silk that connect the leather, iron, and gold scales; the silver-colored trim on the armored shoes. What a way to go. by Charles Mudede