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Close Helmet of Three-Quarter Armor

A work made of steel with gilding.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of steel with gilding.

Date:

c. 1575

Artist:

Italian, Milan

About this artwork

Chivalry—with its connotation of the knightly ideal—was intimately connected with the horse (cheval in French). A knight took care to protect his mount, on which he was dependent for the mobility and speed required in both attack and retreat. In Roman times, some heavy cavalry used armor made of iron or bronze scales to protect their horses. From the twelth century on, knights covered their steeds in bands of iron mail (a network of interlocking rings). By the fifteenth century, full-plate armors were not uncommon. This shaffron, or headpiece, is etched in gilt bands with decoration on a finely dotted ground. Riveted between the eyes is an elongated conical spike, perhaps inspired by the horn of the mythical unicorn. A manifestation of great power and wealth, the shaffron has been valued for centuries as an object of beauty, not just as a tool of warfare and sport.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Title

Close Helmet of Three-Quarter Armor

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1570–1580

Medium

Steel with gilding

Credit Line

George F. Harding Collection

Reference Number

1982.2102o

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/240348/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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