Close-Helmet for the Tilt

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Close-helmets for the tilt were typically fitted with a large ventilation door on the right side of the upper bevor, whereas the left side, which was more exposed to an opponent's lance, was covered by a reinforce (grandguard) bolted to the breastplate. This example retains its original leather lining straps and adjustable shock-absorbing cross-straps arranged as an X inside the bowl. To the ends of these straps were attached thin laces that passed through holes at the back of the bowl and allowed the wearer to adjust the tension on the straps. The leather-covered lining at the chin is preserved. The graceful lines of the bowl and the pairs of lightly engraved lines around the edges of the plates recall helmets made in the imperial workshops at Innsbruck. (The brow reinforce is missing; the long threaded bolt at the front, intended to affix the grandguard, is a later modification.)

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