Burgonet

Leonard Heinrich

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This burgonet belongs to a series of virtually identical examples having three raised and engrailed combs that were worn by the guards attached to a noble German or Austrian house. Several helmets bear the mark of Augsburg and that of Desiderius Helmschmid (1513–1579), the city's leading armorer in this period (this particular helmet is unmarked). Pairs of holes in the bowl suggest that the surface was covered with fabric, stitched in place, leaving only the tall combs exposed. The forging of a helmet bowl with three tall combs from a single plate of steel required considerable skill; the challenge was also met by Italian armorers, who created triple-combed burgonets for the Farnese guard (see acc. no. 04.3.219). (The cheekpieces are modern replacements made by the Museum's armorer Leonard Heinrich in 1932.)

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