Young Person's f Guide to in The Metropolitan European Museum Arms and of Art

Armor EDITH WATTS MMA 14-007738 K2 * 1.95 C^o t *-

European Arms and Armor in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

EDITH WATTS

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. NEW YORK This publication has been made possible by a generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. Jan W. Mares. The author and supervisor received valuable assistance from Helmut Nickel, Curator, Arms and Armor, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Bradford D. Kelleher, Publisher John P. O'Neill. Editor in Chief Elizabeth Flinn, Project Supervisor Rosanne Wasserman, Editor Peter Oldenburg. Designer

On the cover: Detail of Figure 19. armor, German, about 1505.

Copyright © 1982 by The Metropolitan Museum of Art

ISBN 0-87099-282-1 Contents

Introduction 5 Early Medieval Armor 7 10 The 's Equipment 12 The Development of Plate Armor 14 Fifteenth-Century Gothic Armor 16 Tournament Armor 18 Renaissance Armor 20 Weapons of the Foot Soldier 24 The Development of Firearms 26 28 The Art of Arms and Armor 30 Arms and Armor of Famous People 34 The Museum's Armor Shop 36 Armor Figures of Speech 38 List of Illustrations 39

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Introduction Ihe Metropolitan Museum of Art owns a collection of arms and armor that numbers some 5,000 objects, making it one of the six greatest armor collections in the world and the largest and finest in this country. Ancient arms and armor are exhibited in the Greek and Etruscan bronze galleries. Arms and armor from the Near East are in the Islamic galleries, and those from the Far East are in the Oriental galleries. European arms and armor form the largest part of the collection, with particularly fine examples made between A.D. 1400 and 1800. They are on exhibit in the first floor Arms and Armor galleries along with a few American weapons. In the Main Armor Hall you can compare the changing styles of armor, from medieval battle armor to the spectacular made by Renaissance armorers for kings and their courtiers. Along the walls are displays of polearms. crossbows, and shields. Hanging from the ceiling are ten late nineteenth-century banners that hung originally in Saint George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, England. They bear the arms of the of the Most Noble Order of the . The modern velvets on the horse trappings suggest the brilliant colors and rich decorations of the . the crests with plumes, and the furs, velvets, and gold and silver ornaments that were worn in medieval and Renaissance times. At the entrance to the Main Armor Hall are three fifteenth-century cannons. Even such small cannons as these were very expensive to operate because of the work involved in grinding the gunpowder and in shaping the stone balls they fired. The cannon on the right as you enter was designed for a ship. Chris- topher Columbus took a few like it on his voyages. In the side galleries you will find early medieval armor, tournament armor, horse equipment, swords, polearms, and firearms designed for fighting, for hunting, and for show. All these pieces, many of them very beautiful, were created for the most powerful people of their time. They call to mind wars that are legendary now—the Crusades, the Hundred Years' War, and the War of the Roses. Here there are weapons and armor associated with such famous people as King Saint Louis, Joan of Arc, King Henry VIII, Emperor Charles V, Queen Elizabeth I, and Napoleon Bonaparte. Looking at armor is a good way to learn about the society that made it. The shape of armor and the designs on it reflect the styles people liked in their and even in their interior decoration and architecture. The figures that appear in the decoration are heroes or symbols of faith. The different types of arms and armor illustrate the way a society waged war, what ceremonies were important, and what kinds of games people played. When you look at armor, think of it as a form of sculpture, a beautifully fitted construction hammered out of steel, one of the most difficult materials to shape. Examine the decorated suits of armor—the , shields, daggers, and pommels, the crossbows and firearm stocks. You will discover objects of the most remarkable workmanship in metal, ivory, bone, leather, and wood. Very little armor made before the year 1400 still Early exists today. Most of it, having been metal, leather, or cloth, has rusted away or decayed. One of the oldest pieces in the Metropolitan Museum is a Medieval Frankish chieftain's made about two centuries before the time of Charlemagne, the Frank's greatest Armor ruler (Fig. 1). The helmet is made of six iron plates riveted to iron bands that are covered with copper strips. Its conical shape goes back to the felt worn by the barbarians who invaded Europe at the fall of the Roman Empire. These warriors were Huns and Avars who came on horseback from Central Asia bringing a new idea to Europe: the superiority of the horseman. As time passed, that idea grew into the

1. , Frankish, sixth century. ideal of the chivalrous knight, a leader on horseback who pledged himself to God and to the highest personal standards. The tenth-century Viking sword (Fig. 2) is a rare medieval weapon. The blade is forged out of many strips of iron and steel wrapped and welded together to give it strength as well as flexibility. The center groove adds to the blade's strength and keeps it 2. Sword, Viking, tenth century. lightweight—the sword weighs only 2 pounds 2 ounces. The pommel and guard are inlaid with patterns of flattened silver and copper wire. The Vikings believed silver could undo evil spells cast upon a sword. Notice that the shapes of the fifteenth- century swords in this room are descended from that of the Viking blade. During the time of the Crusades, 1096 to 1291, knights wore shirts and leggings of mail and conical metal helmets. They looked like the knight in Figure 3, galloping into battle with his sword and wooden shield, and a horned crest on his helmet to identify him. This figure, about the size you see here, was probably designed to decorate a knight's tomb. The detail of the shirt of mail (Fig. 4) shows the armorer's mark and the tiny rivets that hold each metal circle together and link it to the next. The shirt has about 250,000 of these links. It is a finer shirt than many, but even in a shirt made of half the number of links, imagine the work! Mail was good armor because it was not too heavy (a shirt weighed about twenty-five pounds), it was flexible, and it could not be pierced easily by sharp weapons. •Iff« Warriors wore quilted jackets under the mail for protection against blows from heavy, blunt weapons. 3. Bronze-gilt knight, Spanish, about 1300. 4. Detail of shirt of mail, German, fifteenth century.

{ ' ( fe' 'J- i C r\ \ Heraldry

5. Shield, German, about 1475. 6. Sword pommel, bronze, French, thirteenth century. 7'. Rowel spur, gilded, French, about 1400. In the twelfth century, knights began wearing helmets The sword pommel (Fig. 6) is one of the few with metal parts that covered the face. In order to objects in the armor collection that dates from the recognize each other, they chose special colors and time of the Crusades. It displays the arms of Pierre de emblems for their helmets, surcoats, shields, and Dreux, the duke of Brittany who led King Saint horse trappings (Fig. 3). These outfits are called coats Louis's crusade in 1249. of arms and the designs on them are called heraldry. On the heel grip of the gilded spur (Fig. 7) is Fierce and magical animals such as the lion, eagle, engraved a checkerboard pattern identifying the boar, griffin, dragon, and unicorn were popular in owner as one of the counts of Catalonia, Spain. Look heraldry, and bright, contrasting colors gave them for it and several other decorated spurs in Room II. maximum visibility. Coats of arms were adopted as hereditary emblems Heraldic designs are the major source for the by great families and as insignia by cities, guilds, and decoration of arms and armor. The wooden, canvas- important offices in government. What began as an covered shield (Fig. 5) shows the arms of the dukes of essential identification became, centuries later, signs Saxony above Saint George, the patron saint of of aristocracy and the power of "good breeding." knights. The German inscription asks for help from Even today some people are proud to show off their God and Saint George. ancestors' coats of arms.

11 Detail of Figure 7, rowel spur, gilded, French, about 1400. The Knights Equipment

Une of the symbols of knighthood was a pair of golden spurs, covered with thin sheets of gold to look like solid gold. Squires could wear spurs of other metals but only when they were knighted did they "earn their spurs." The sword was the other symbol of knighthood. Its cross shape was the outward sign

8. Sword, Italian, fifteenth century.

12 9. War hammer, German, fifteenth century. 10. Mace, Italian, sixteenth century.

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of the faith held by the Christian knight. The sword in Figure 8 has a typical fifteenth-century design. Its pommel was heavy to balance the blade, and its grip was long so that a knight could grasp it with both hands for an especially heavy blow. The double-edged blade, wide and tapering, is effective in both thrusting and cutting. In close combat the knight wielded war axes and hammers (Fig. 9) to tear and crush mail. Maces (Fig. 10) were used later in the fifteenth century to crack steel plate armor that would blunt a good sword blade. Eventually, maces became one of the symbols of authority carried by kings. The long sharp weapons called lances were the knight's weapon in the opening charges of a battle. Knightly shields were made of wood covered with leather or canvas. Metal shields would have been far too heavy. In the eleventh century, shields were large and kite-shaped to protect the face as well as the body. When face pieces were added to helmets, the shield became smaller and triangular (Fig. 3). In the fifteenth century, the development of complete suits of steel armor made shields unnecessary.

13 The Development of Plate Armor

Dy the beginning of the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) mail no longer provided sufficient protection against knights swinging axes and against foot soldiers firing powerful, accurate crossbows.

11. Armor, Italian, about 1400. 12. Visored basinet, Italian, about 1380. Armorers first devised steel plates to strap over the weaken steel, there are fewer on the left because a knees and lower legs. Soon afterwards came similar knight could protect his right side with his sword. defenses for the shoulders and arms. The of armor, like others in the Museum, is The suit in Figure 11. made about 1400. has a "composed," meaning that it is made from pieces of velvet-covered vest called a . Notice the different suits manufactured about the same time and rows of rivets that hold the metal plates of the in the same style so that they fit together to create a brigandine's lining in place. Knights wore shirts of suit accurate for the period. Sometimes missing mail under their chest and arm armor for protection, pieces have to be reconstructed, using original pieces since there were spaces between the steel plates. in other suits as models. The steel surfaces are smooth and rounded so Look for the series of fine helmets dating from blows would easily off. Because of the about 1380 to 1450. They are beautifully designed to streamlined surface, the steel did not have to be very have glancing surfaces. You should be able to find the thick. You can see how thin the plates are by looking armorer's stamp on most of them. The three types of at the edges of the steel. The hinged of the helmets are shown below (Figs. 12-14). The arméis à helmet has airholes for breathing. Since airholes rondelle provide the best protection. Can you see why?

13. Armet à rondelle. Milanese, about 1475. 14. , Italian, about 1470.

15 Fifteenth- Century Gothic Armor

Dy the middle of the fifteenth century the process of medieval church architecture. The style then spread enclosing the knight in flexible steel plates was to sculpture, furniture, armor, , and even complete. The pieces of steel in this suit (Fig. 15) are and . so well fitted and the sixty-pound weight is so evenly Milan, Italy, was a center for and armor- distributed that the knight could easily mount, making. Its armorers specialized in certain parts of dismount, wield his weapons, and pick himself up if armor, such as gauntlets, , or helmets. The he were knocked down. Look at the way the knee complete suit was then fitted to the man who had plates, as well as the shoulder and tasset pieces, ordered it, in this case (Fig. 15) a man about 5 feet 10 overlap for flexibility. inches tall. With such careful workmanship and There are fourteen major sections of plate armor. tailoring, it is no wonder that armor was expensive. The knight's attendant, his squire, would help him A full harness would cost at least eight thousand strap on the sections with laces called points. Walk dollars of our money. Such a harness would be the around to the back of this suit. Why are there no "no frills" model. Suits with additional protection steel plates from the waist to the knee? In what way were still more costly, luxuries only the aristocracy does the wide collar of steel above the could afford. protect a mounted man? There is more Gothic armor in the Main Armor Steel harnesses were hot. One of the many things Hall. Notice that some of the suits have lance rests the Crusaders learned from their enemies the and some have round circlets of steel, called Saracens was to wear cloth coats over their armor to besagews, to cover the chink in the armor at the shield it from the sun's rays. shoulder joint. Many of the suits were originally The pointed detailing on the , knee cops, and colored like the black harness for identification and are in the Gothic style, which first appeared for preventing rust. in the pointed arches, windows, and tall spires of

16 Bowl or Skull Sight Helmet Visor

Breaths

Pau Id ron

Lance Rest

— Rerebrace

Elbow Cop or Coûter

Tasset

Cuisse

Knee Cop or

Greave

15. Armor, Italian, about 1490.

17

Sabaton In the early medieval times, tournaments were very Tournament warlike. Knights wore the same armor they used in battle because this popular sport was a way to keep Armor fit for fighting. By the fourteenth century, however, the nobility began to settle upon rules and the scoring of points, and special armor was created for the games. The most famous contest was the joust, in which one horseman charged another and tried to unhorse him with a lance. The German tournament harness in

16. Jousting armor, German, about 1500. 17. Tournament helmet, German, about 1480. 18. Staghorn saddle, German, about 1400. breastplate to serve as a target for the opponent; the lance with spread prongs, ideal for catching and pushing a man from his horse; the lance's other end tucked under a steel hook to steady the lance and to take its weight off the knight's arm: steel covering the horse's eyes and bells on his ears so that he would not be frightened and shy away in the charge; the thick straw-stuffed bumper protecting the horse. In other contests barriers or tilts were built across the tournament field to protect the horses. Tournaments featured fighting on foot also. The helmet in Figure 17 resembles a fencer's mask. It is made of iron overlaid with canvas and leather. Since contestants hit each other with blunt swords and clubs, the face armor could be opened up for more air. Tournaments were times of pageants, feasts, the Main Armor Hall (Fig. 16) does not cover the parades, and games. The staghorn saddle (Fig. 18) is rider's legs because the rules forbid hitting below the a parade piece created to decorate a riderless horse. waist. Notice that the neck and shoulder pieces are Find the sixteenth-century tournament book in a side less flexible than battle armor because the knight's gallery and look at the open page to better imagine opponent would be almost straight ahead of him. all the colors and patterns of the banners, crests, Instead of flexibility, the helm and breastplate were surcoats. and flowers. riveted together for strength and security. Look at the edges of the steel plates. They are very thick in order to withstand the impact of the lance. The helm alone weighs over twenty pounds. Being able to pick oneself up if unhorsed was not important to the jousting knight because at that point he had lost the game. The saddle has a flat back so that, should he be pushed violently, he would slide off the horse and not be in danger of breaking his back. Saddles designed for real battle had high fronts and backs so the knight could stay astride at all costs. More things to look for are: the horns on the helm for identification: the square shield tied to the Renaissance Armor r\ new style of armor appeared about 1500. It is called Maximilian because Emperor Maximilian of Germany admired the design and encouraged his knights to order this new armor from his armorers at Innsbruck. Two other German cities, Augsburg and Nürnberg, also became famous for their armorers. Maximilian armor is easy to identify because of the ridges, called fluting, that cover most of the surface (Fig. 19). The fluting increases the strength of the steel without adding weight. The braided pattern reinforces the edges and is very decorative. When the owner of this harness was wearing his gauntlets, how could he raise the visor? Compare the Maximilian style with a Gothic suit. The rounded outlines of the shoulders, breastplate, and tassets, and the wide round sabatons follow the new Renaissance style. Think of the round arches and low domes of Renaissance buildings. Picture a sixteenth-century lord like King Henry VIII with his wide shoes, long , short rounded trunks, and puffed . Maximilian armor, like all plate armor, closely followed the of the clothes worn under it. Look in the side galleries for a seventeenth-century suit of armor "underwear." In the Main Armor Hall there is a suit of Maximilian armor made for a man over six feet tall, proof that not all knights were smaller than men are today. The two very small suits of armor were created for boys training to be knights. 19. Armor, German, about 1505 (left). 20. Armor for man and horse (associated), German, 1548 (right).

21 21. Armor of George Clifford, English, 1590-95.

As the sixteenth century progressed, armor was decorated more and more beautifully to demonstrate the wealth and rank of the owner. Armor for aristocrats had to be very grand because it had become the symbol of a man's position at court. On the other hand, many low-ranking soldiers wore less armor because firearms were becoming so effective that full suits of armor heavy enough to withstand bullets were uncomfortable and impractical to wear. The German master who made the parade armor for man and horse (Fig. 20) banded the steel with etchings of fantastic creatures and twisting vines. The initials on the horse harness stand for a German motto: "I trust in God with all my heart"; it is signed "Johann Ernst, Duke of Saxony." The man's armor was not made for the duke. However, the Museum shows it with the horse harness because both are stamped with the Nürnberg guild mark and the same date. Can you find the year? The suit of armor (Fig. 21) in the Main Armor Hall belonged to the personal champion of Queen Elizabeth I at tournaments, George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland. It is the best-preserved suit of Elizabethan armor in existence, and a thoroughly elegant . Sir George's armor had twelve additional pieces so that he could wear the harness as a half, three-quarters, or full suit. By selecting certain pieces, he could even wear it in battle. What a clever design, considering how costly armor was! George Clifford was not only Queen Elizabeth's personal representative at affairs of state. He was also a judge at the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots; he sailed

22 the Spanish Main; and he commanded the force that succeeded in capturing the great castle of El Morro in San Juan. Puerto Rico. The designs etched on his suit are symbolic of his service to his queen. Look for the Tudor roses and the back-to-back E's: 3E . The decoration of a suit of armor often had special meaning to the wearer. This breastplate (Fig. 22) is etched with the figures of Saint George killing the dragon. Saint Christopher carrying the Christ child, and Mary with Jesus. These figures represent bravery, loyalty, and love. We have seen the duke of Saxony's statement of faith on his horse harness (Fig. 20). The breastplate decoration of Henry Herbert. Earl of Pembroke, in the Main Armor Hall has the collar chain and pendant of the Order of the Garter, the highest honor awarded to English knights. 22. Detail: breastplate, German, about 1510. Weapons of the Foot Soldier

As the weapons of the foot soldier improved, armorers were pressed to create better and better armor. The crossbow probably more than any other weapon made plate armor necessary. The cross- bowman had to draw his laminated horn bow mechanically, so he could shoot only about two bolts per minute. But the crossbow was very accurate and forceful. Notice the different steel bolt heads in Figure 24. One is a "whistler" designed for signaling. In early medieval times, there were no standing armies. Farmers were called to war by their feudal lords. They brought their hoes, scythes, axes, and 23. Halberd, Swiss, fifteenth century. pruning hooks with them because they had no other weapons. Polearms and battle axes were developed 24. Crossbow, winder, and bolts, German, sixteenth from such farm tools and used by armies until the century. fourteenth century. By that time kings and the people in towns growing rich with trade saw the sense in having organized armies ready. The most practical and popular staff weapon of the foot soldier was the halberd (Fig. 23). The blade was designed for chopping and slashing. Opposite the blade was a hook for pulling a knight from his horse or for scaling a wall. The long sharp point was for stabbing. Panoplies of halberds, pikes, and other polearms are displayed on the walls of the Main Armor Hall and in some of the side galleries. Polearms of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were called partisans, fauchards, and couteaux de brèches, and were carried by palace guards and officers. Look for their elaborate silhouettes, heraldic decorations, and silk tassels.

24 IPrmrrí. *- "^•—

25. Dagger and awls. Swiss. sixteenth century.

Once the crossbowman had drawn the bow and set again in 1415 at Agincourt. However, not a single the bolt in the revolving nut. he sighted along the longbow used by the English archers in these famous stock and squeezed the long metal trigger underneath battles has survived. it to revolve the nut and release the bolt. The When fighting at close range, soldiers used short crossbow in Figure 24 is a sixteenth-century hunting swords and daggers, such as the Swiss dagger in weapon. Bows were made of steel by that time and Figure 25 that is equipped with a smaller knife and were wound up by a cranquin, or winder, seen on the an awl. These useful additions to the dagger made it left. During the wind-up. the bowman steadied the an early model of the Swiss army knife. The gilded bow by putting his foot in the stirrup at the end of scabbard displays a scene of the "dance of death" the stock. When reloading in battle, crossbowmen designed by Hans Holbein, the German artist who stood behind large shields called pavises. Some of was court painter of King Henry VIII. The armies of these shields hang on the walls of the Main Armor free cities, particularly the Swiss cities, were famous Hall. for their victories in the late fifteenth and sixteenth Longbowmen could shoot about twelve arrows a centuries. Many Swiss became professional soldiers minute, killing and terrifying charging horses at long and were hired to fight for French, Italian, and range. That is how the English longbowmen defeated German princes. The Pope in Rome still employs a the French knights at the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and Swiss guard.

25 The Development of Firearms

Flintlock fowling piece, French, about 1800.

Dy the m id-fourteenth century, soldiers were The matchlock mechanism (Fig. 27) was the first attempting to fire "hand cannons." But at that early mechanical ignition system. When the trigger is time they did little more than frighten horses. pulled, the metal arm at the right (which held a Imagine the difficulty and the risk of holding a burning match cord) springs against the pan on the lighted match cord in one hand while pouring gun left holding the priming powder. In wind or rain, the powder down the muzzle of the heavy gun with the matchlock was nearly impossible to fire, and even in other hand, then touching the match cord to a hole the best conditions it could be shot only about once a on the powder chamber while trying to aim and be minute. But the matchlocks were simple, inexpensive braced for the kick of the recoil. The bullet fitted mechanisms and remained the most popular military loosely and easily went astray. Crossbows were such firearms until the mid-seventeenth century. clearly superior weapons that firearms were not The wheellock mechanism (Fig. 28) did away with improved for over a century. Also, the smell and soot the problem of keeping the match cord lit. To fire of firearms were disliked by soldiers, especially the this double-barreled pistol the gunman wound up the aristocracy. wheel to spin against a piece of pyrite held in the Eventually improvements were made in the firing metal jaws above the powder pan. The wheel action is mechanism, leading to the matchlock, late fifteenth like a cigarette lighter. Wheellocks were reliable and century; the wheellock, early sixteenth century; and the flintlock, early seventeenth century. All three types were used on pistols; on muskets, which are 27. Matchlock gun, German, seventeenth century. smooth-bore guns; and on rifles, whose bores were grooved for greater range and accuracy.

26 • 28. Double-barrel wheellock pistol. German, about 1540.

accurate but were so costly to make and repair that only the aristocracy could afford them. Being such luxuries, wheellocks were often used exclusively for hunting and were magnificently decorated. The simplest and best ignition device involving the striking of stone against steel was the flintlock mechanism invented in France about 1615 (Fig. 29). Flintlock gun, French, Flintlock muskets, rifles, and pistols were the late eighteenth century. firearms for both hunting and fighting until the nineteenth century, when two great changes came about in firearms. explosion was contained inside the cartridge, guns could be breechloaded safely for the first time, which The first was the invention of a cartridge holding a was a second great change. Earlier guns had been percussion . powder charge, and bullet that was loaded by the slow process of packing the charge and set into action by the trigger hammer. Since the ball down the muzzle with a ramrod stored under the barrel (Figs. 26,27). Such loading was extremely difficult while King prone or crouching under cover.

27 Swords

30. Sword, Italian, about 1500.

31. Dress rapier, Italian, about 1580.

32. Cup-hilted rapier and left-handed dagger, Spanish, about 1650.

28 Ihe cruciform sword of the knight (Fig. 8) was a Military swords continued to be used after 1650 splendid weapon, but it became increasingly but gentlemen carried swords solely as badges of ineffective with the use of plate armor. Because it was rank. Often the sword hilts were made of showy and easily blunted when used to slash at steel plates, luxurious materials such as ivory, porcelain (Fig. 33). swordsmen devised techniques for piercing the small gold, and silver—materials that would crack or bend spaces between the plates. Because they had to move if the sword were actuallv used. their hands freely to take precise aim, they preferred leather gloves to the less flexible steel gauntlets. To protect the swordsmen's fingers, no longer covered with steel plates, armorers added branches to the 33. Dress sword, Dutch, eighteenth century. sword's crossguard. Sword blades became narrow with a sharp point for thrusting, and lighter and shorter for greater mobility. The sixteenth-century swept-hilt rapier (Fig. 31) is a highly effective and elegant protection for the

hand. The most complete protection was the cup hilt (Fig. 32). By the middle of the sixteenth century swords were paired with matching daggers held in the left hand and used to parry the opponent's thrusts. The sword was an essential part of the gentleman's outfit and was often instrumental in settling his personal affairs. Blades were ordered from four internationally renowned centers for swordmaking: Milan, Italy; Toledo, Spain; and Solingen and Pas- sau, Germany. When the blades arrived, they were fitted into hilts designed by local court craftsmen. 34. Barbute, Italian, about 1470. 35. Parade helmet, Venetian, 1460.

The Art of Arms and Armor

Ihe primary purpose of the barbute in Figure 34 was form of this piece was hammered out after heating to protect the wearer's head and neck. The crest and the iron at the forge. Using hammers and anvils of the lower border, which is rolled over a metal wire, different sizes and shapes, the armorer would work reinforce the steel's strength at vital points. The the metal until it was thicker in places where more edging continues around the T-shaped face opening protection was needed. Then he would finish by to prevent an enemy's blade point from sliding inside. polishing the outside of the steel. The steel had to be At the same time the armorer, whose marks appear heated frequently to keep it from becoming brittle. on the right side, has created a beautiful piece of The final step was to quench the heated piece in sculpture in steel. Its three-dimensional shape has water to produce a very hard surface, a process called strong, simple curves and graceful outlines, and its tempering. surface is smooth and glossy. Armor was decorated by etching, embossing, Armorers spent years as apprentices learning gilding, and damascening. The Italians etched armor techniques of shaping and finishing metal. The basic by scratching the design with a sharp tool onto the

30 Parade helmet of Francis I of France, Italian, 1543.

surface covered with wax or varnish. Then they and hammered out the design following the pattern bathed the surface with acid, which ate away the marks. The finishing details were etched on the right exposed metal of the design, leaving dark lines in the side. The Venetian parade helmet (Fig. 35) is made of bright steel. The Germans reversed the etching steel on which an embossed lion's head of gilded process. They painted the design on the surface with copper has been riveted; its roaring mouth forms the a brush dipped in wax or varnish. The acid bath ate face opening. The teeth are silvered and the eyes are away the unpainted parts, leaving them dark with the inlaid with semiprecious stones. The helmet calls to design standing out on the surface. Notice the two mind the mythological Nemean lion's skin worn by different effects in Figure 22. Hercules (Fig. 42). The first step in embossing was to tap the pattern Another spectacularly embossed helmet (Fig. 36) into a sheet of metal with a sharp tool, making marks was stained to look like ancient bronze with elaborate that would be visible on the other side. The craftsman classical details curving around the mermaid crest. then turned the sheet over, put it on a soft surface. Most appropriate is the glowering Medusa head on

31 the visor. Many people think this helmet is the finest piece in the Museum's armor collection. It was created in 1543 by Philippo de Negroli, one of % Milan's greatest armorers. Damascening was a favorite method of decorating sword hilts (Fig. 37). Soft gold wires were hammered onto the surface, which had been roughened with a file. The effect was finer and more lasting when the wires were hammered into precut grooves. Gilding *öte* was done by fusing gold dust and mercury and painting it on metal with a soft wire brush. Then the metal was heated until the mercury evaporated. Look in the galleries for the objects in Figures 38 to 42. There are many more beautiful examples of the art of metalworking, as well as the art of ivory and bone carving.

*•".

37. Dress rapier, French, 1610.

38. Hunting sword and trousse, German, 1678. 39. Detail: crossbow of Matthias I Corvinus, Hungarian, 1489.

40. Halberd head with cipher of Emperor Matthias, German, 1612.

41. Detail: parade armor of Charles V, German, 1549.

42. Detail: parade helmet, French or Italian, 1550. Arms and Armor of Famous People

/Vlmost everything in the Museum's armor collection once belonged to lords and nobles in the courts of the monarchs of Europe, if not to the emperors and kings themselves, or to the rulers of the most powerful cities. We have already seen the armor of Queen Elizabeth I's champion (Fig. 21); a hunting gun said to have been ordered by Napoleon as a gift for one of his generals. Maréchal Ney (Fig. 26); a flintlock pistol owned by Alexander Hamilton (Fig. 29); and the parade helmet of the French king Francis I (Fig. 36). Other armorial works of art are shown here (Figs. 43-46). 43. Parade armor of Charles V, German, 1549.

44. Detail: flintlock fowling piece of Louis XIII, French, about 1615.

45. Parade armor of Henry II of France, French, about 1550.

46. Sword of Louis XVI, French. 1785. The Museum's Armor Shop

In the Museum's basement, a vast network of tunnels a few groups of armorers in Europe who were direct filled with files, offices, and laboratories, are two descendants of medieval and Renaissance armorers. large rooms housing the Armor Shop (Fig. 47). On They used ancient tools and techniques to create suits the walls are shears and hammers of all sizes. In the of armor for palace halls, a very popular form of drawers and on the tables are files, vices, rivets, pins, decoration among the nineteenth-century aristocracy. wire, buckles, and bottles of chemicals and oils. So it was not difficult for the Museum staff to find There are two forges, a tumbler to clean mail, and out exactly how to set up a proper armor shop and to several large tree stumps that hold metal stakes and hire an armorer schooled in the ancient traditions anvils—all the equipment needed to clean and restore who would an apprentice to take his place when the arms and armor in the V aseum's collection. he retired. Although there is no longer a market for suits of Today the armor shop is as rare as many of the armor, all the necessary tools and the special skills pieces in the armor collection. It is the only one of its for making them are here. kind in the western hemisphere and one of the few The Museum's armorers and curators of armor remaining in the world. used their special skills and knowledge to design the steel helmets worn by the United States Army in World Wars I and II and the Korean war. They also 47. Armor workshop, The Metropolitan Museum of designed bulletproof vests modeled after medieval Art. From Helmut Nickel, Warriors and Worthies: for United States Airmen in World War Arms and Armor Through the Ages. Text copyright II and the Korean war. © 1971 by Helmut Nickel; photographs © 797/ by At the beginning of this century, when the Museum Bruce Pendleton. Reprinted with the permission of was first forming the armor collection, there were still Atheneum Publishers.

36 37 Armor Figures of Speech

Ihe terms below are derived from tournaments (1-3), 12. to be quick on the draw and from the use of armor (4-7), swords (8-11), 13. to draw a bead on someone crossbows and longbows (12-15), other ancient 14. a second string weapons (16-18), and firearms (19-27). 15. a parting shot 1. to go full tilt 2. crestfallen 16. to free-lance 3. to wear your heart on your sleeve 17. to look daggers at someone 18. an old battle ax 4. up in arms 5. to die in the harness 19. to keep your powder dry 6. to throw down the gauntlet 20. to go off half-cocked 7. to stretch a point 21. straight as a ramrod 22. to be hoist with one's own petard 23. to gun the engine 8. to cross swords with someone 24. lock, stock, and barrel 9. to pommel someone 25. a flash in the pan 10. up to the hilt 26. all primed up 11. a two-edged sword 27. on a hair trigger

38 List of Illustrations

1. Spangenhelm. Frankish. sixth century. Harris 12. Visored basinet. Italian, about 1380. Rogers Fund. Brisbane Dick Fund. 1942(42.50.1) 1904 (04.3.235) 2. Sword. Viking, tenth century. Rogers Fund. 1955 13. Armet à rondelle. Milanese, about 1475. Bashford (55.46.1) Dean Memorial Collection. Funds from various 3. Bronze-gilt knight. Spanish, about 1300. Bashford donors. 1929(29.158.51) Dean Memorial Collection. Funds from various 14. Barbute. Italian, about 1470. Gift of Mrs. George A. donors. 1929(29.158.735) Douglass, in memory of her husband. I960 (60.151)

4. Detail of shirt of mail. German, fifteenth century. 15. Armor. Italian, about 1490. Gift of William H. Bashford Dean Memorial Collection. Gift of Edward Riggs. 1913(14.25.718) S. Harkness. 1929(29.156.68) 16. Jousting armor. German, about 1500. Rogers Fund. 5. Shield. German, about 1475. Bashford Dean 1904(04.3.291) Memorial Collection. Funds from various donors. 1929(29.158.596) 17. Tournament helmet. German, about 1480. Gift of Christian A. Zabriskie. 1940 (40.135.3) 6. Sword pommel, bronze. French, thirteenth century. Gift of Louis J. Cartier. 1938 (38.60) 18. Staghorn saddle. German, about 1400. Rogers Fund. 1904 (04.3.249) 7. Rowel spur, gilded. French, about 1400. (Detail. p. 12.) Gift of William H. Riggs. 1913(14.25.1737) 19. Armor. German, about 1505. Gift of Alan Rutherfurd Stuyvesant. 1949(49.163.1) 8. Sword. Italian, fifteenth century. Bashford Dean Memorial Collection. Bashford Dean Memorial 20. Armor for man and horse (associated). German. Fund. 1929(29.150.143) 1548. Bashford Dean Memorial Collection. Gift of Mrs. Bashford Dean. 1929(29.151.2); Rogers Fund. 9. War hammer. German, fifteenth century. Gift of 1932(32.69) William H. Riggs. 1913(14.25.1336) 21. Armor of George Clifford. English. 1590-95. 10. Mace. Italian, sixteenth century. Gift of William H. Purchase. Frank A. Munsey Bequest. 1932(32.130.6) Riggs. 1913 (14.25.1322) 22. Detail: breastplate. German, about 1510. Gift of 11. Armor. Italian, about 1400. Bashford Dean Marshall Field. 1938(38.143) Memorial Collection. Gift of Helen Fahnestock Hubbard in memory of her father. Harris C. 23. Halberd. Swiss, fifteenth century. Gift of William H. Fahnestock. 1929(29.154.3) Riggs. 1913(14.25.153)

39 24. Crossbow, winder, and bolts, German, sixteenth 38. Hunting sword and trousse, German, 1678. Gift of century. Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 (14.25.1576) William H. Riggs, 1913 (14.25.972 a-d)

25. Dagger and awls, Swiss, sixteenth century. Bequest 39. Detail: crossbow of Matthias I Corvinus, Hungarian, of George D. Pratt, 1935 (48.149.39 a-d) 1489. Rogers Fund, 1925 (25.42)

26. Flintlock fowling piece, French, about 1800. 40. Halberd head with cipher of Emperor Matthias, Rogers Fund. 1936(36.58) German, 1612. Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 (14.25.461) 27. Matchlock gun, German, seventeenth century. Giovanni P. Morosini Collection, presented by his 41. Detail: parade armor of Charles V, German, 1549. daughter. Giulia, 1932(32.75.112) Purchase, George D. Pratt Gift and Rogers Fund, 1933(33.164) 28. Double-barrel wheellock pistol, German, about 1540. Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913(14.25.1425) 42. Detail: parade helmet, French or Italian, 1550. Rogers Fund, 1904(04.3.217), (22.140) 29. Flintlock gun, French, late eighteenth century. Rogers Fund. 1950(50.96.1) 43. Parade armor of Charles V, German, 1549. Purchase, George D. Pratt Gift and Rogers Fund, 1933 (33.164) 30. Sword, Italian, about 1500. Gift of William H. Riggs. 1913(14.25.1169) 44. Detail: flintlock fowling piece of Louis XIII, French, about 1615. Rogers and Harris Brisbane Dick Funds, 31. Dress rapier, Italian, about 1580. Gift of William H. 1972(1972.223) Riggs, 1913(14.25.1162) 45. Parade armor of Henry II of France, French, about 32. Cup-hilted rapier and left-handed dagger, Spanish, 1550. Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1939 (39.121) about 1650. Gifts of Alan Rutherfurd Stuyvesant, 46. Sword of Louis XVI, French, 1785. Gift of Jean 1951 (51.170.1), (51.170.2) Jacques Reubell, in memory of his mother, Julia C. 33. Dress sword, Dutch, eighteenth century. Bequest of Coster, and of his wife, Adeline E. Post, both of New J. J. Reubell, in memory of his mother, Julia C. York City, 1926(25.145.294) Coster, of New York, 1933 (34.57.9) 47. Armor workshop. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 34. Barbute, Italian, about 1470. Gift of Mrs. George A. From Helmut Nickel, Warriors and Worthies: Arms Douglass, in memory of her husband, 1960 (60.151) and Armor Through the Ages. Text copyright © 1971 by Helmut Nickel; photographs © 1971 by Bruce 35. Parade helmet. Venetian, 1460. Harris Brisbane Dick Pendleton. Reprinted with the permission of Fund, 1923(23.141) Atheneum Publishers. 36. Parade helmet of Francis I of France, Italian, 1543. Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917(17.190.1720) From time to time, some of the objects illustrated and 37. Dress rapier, French, 1610. Gift of William H. Riggs, discussed in this book will not be on view in the Arms and 1913(14.25.1200) Armor galleries, but similar objects are always on display.

40