Close Helmet for the Field

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Supplanting the armet in the early sixteenth century, the close-helmet was intended for mounted use in the field and typically was constructed with a visor and bevor (lower face and chin defense) rotating on the same pivots at the sides of the bowl. Although this close-helmet apparently is Italian in origin, certain features, such as the stepped profile of the visor and the use of a separate plate to complete the lower part of the bowl at the back, recall helmets found in France and England. This example may, therefore, have been intended for export north of the Alps. (The two front collar lames and the lower rear lame are modern, as is the lifting peg of the visor.)

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