Album of Tournaments and Parades in Nuremberg

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This 112-sheet manuscript includes depictions of contestants equipped for various tournaments; a parade preceding a late form of tournament called a carrousel; participants in tournaments known as Gesellenstrechen, or bachelors' jousts, held in Nuremberg between 1446 and 1561; and depictions of pageant sleighs, some of which were used in a parade held in the winter of 1640–41. The illustrations are probably the work of a Briefmaler, or letter painter, who also would have written and embellished official documents and painted coats-of-arms. In many instances, the names of the tournament participants are written above them. They are armed for the Gestech, the joust fought with blunt lances. A helmet and a four-pronged lance head similar to those in the album are also on display in gallery 373 (acc. nos. 29.156.67a, 42.50.40). Albums such as this provide an invaluable record of the jousters' colorful costumes, fanciful crests, and humorous, often satirical emblems that decorated the jouster's shields and horse trappings.

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