Portions of a Parade Armor

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

When complete, this horseman's armor would have included defenses for the arms and legs and perhaps a matching shaffron (horse's head defense) and saddle. The high-relief ornament, originally decorated with gold and silver, includes a scene of the Judgment of Paris at the top of the breastplate. Discovered in 1912 in the parish church at Aya, near San Sebastian in northern Spain, this important harness was restored in 1914 by the Metropolitan Museum's armorers, who expertly replaced the missing lower half of the visor and the collar of the helmet and most of the tassets (defenses for the upper thighs).

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art