Burgonet all'Antica

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Classically inspired helmets embossed in high relief, sometimes in the form of fantastic beasts, were a specialty of Milanese armorers in the 1530s and 1540s. Unlike etching, embossing thinned and weakened the steel and compromised its deflective qualities, so the technique generally was limited to armors intended for ceremonial wear. While this burgonet falls far short of the high standard of modeling and finish typical of works by Filippo Negroli (ca. 1510–1579) or his cousin Giovan Paolo (ca. 1513–1569), the leading masters of armor all'antica ("in the antique manner"), it nevertheless remains a characteristic example of this classicizing Renaissance art form. The helmet is forged from a single plate of steel, the surfaces retaining only faint traces of the original fire-gilding and silver damascened details.

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