Sallet and Buffe for a Rennzeug in the Saxon Fashion

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The long-tailed German sallet was out of fashion as a field helmet by the early sixteenth century, but it continued to be used thereafter for the Scharfrennen, a joust fought between two contestants with sharp (rather than blunted) lances in an open field. Specially designed armors for this contest, known as Rennzeuge, included sallets bolted at the front to a buffe––a large rigid defense covering the lower face and neck––which in turn was bolted to the breastplate so that the head and upper body remained immobile. This sallet and buffe belong to a distinctive series of Rennzeuge made for use in the Saxon court at Dresden. Although unmarked, they are thought to have been made by the court armorers at Annaberg, in the Saxon territories. Two complete harnesses of this type are in the Metropolitan Museum's collection (acc. nos. 29.92.3, .4).

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