Armet

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Formerly part of a funerary achievement hung over a knight's tomb, this helmet originally appeared on the art market surmounted with a spike intended to support a heraldic crest. The location of the chapel and the identity of the knight are not recorded. This late form of armet (now incomplete) originally had a pivoting visor and articulated collar lames. Several features are especially noteworthy: the large cusped brow reinforce that overlaps a secondary reinforce covering the back of the bowl; the articulating lames covering the back of the neck; and the placement of the hinges of the cheekpieces at the back rather than at the top. While its overall form is Italianate, the armet's unusual construction recalls other helmets found in English churches, some of which are thought to be of English or Flemish manufacture.

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