Burgonet

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The etched and gilt ornament, consisting of elegantly drawn foliate scrolls on a background of circles, matches that on the contemporary field armor of Cornelio Bentivoglio (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), a soldier in the service of the dukes of Ferrara. Both presumably were made iin the same workshop, one that appears to have specialized in fabricating arms for the Ferrarese court. Similar etching can be seen on other helmets in the Metropolitan Museum's collection, acc. nos. 29.152.2 and 37.189.13.

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