Samurai no. 7

A samurai in mid-action, poised to strike with his katana raised in a gesture that conveys control and imminence. He wears a traditional ō-yoroi armor, characteristic of Japan’s feudal warriors, composed of lacquered metal plates and silk cords designed to ensure mobility without sacrificing protection. In the background, a veiled erotic image inspired by the Kamasutra introduces a symbolic tension between instinct and discipline, between the body constrained by duty and the body surrendered to desire.
The samurai were Japan’s dominant military class from the 12th to the late 19th century. Beyond their role on the battlefield, they embodied an ethical model grounded in bushidō, the code of the warrior, which demanded honor, loyalty, and self-restraint. This work brings together historical elements with a visual meditation on opposing forces: regulated violence and liberated sensuality.
 
120 x 130 cm
oil on linen
2025