Sallet

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Close-fitting caplike helmets of this type, with cutouts for the ears, were worn by Spanish infantrymen during the second half of the fifteenth century. Unlike most known examples, which have a strong median ridge from front to back, this sallet has a smooth hemispherical bowl that suggest one of the earlier (mid-century?) examples. Acquired in Spain in the nineteenth century, it is said to have come from a tomb in Aragon. Now dark and heavily corroded, the surface was probably once brightly polished.

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