Tournament or Cavalry Shield (Targe)
An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art
The notch at the upper left served to support the lance of a charging knight. The coat of arms is thought to belong to either the von Meissau or the Eglauer family, both of Austria. On the banderoles is the defiant motto IO HARR · LAS UBER GAN (possibly, "Just wait. You'll be beaten"). Part of the motto, IO HARR, is repeated around the border. The shield comes from Reifenstein castle, in the Austrian Tirol. The castle was owned by the religious, military order known as the Teutonic Knights.
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.