Close-Helmet for the Tournament on Foot

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The surfaces were originally blued, deeply engraved and punched, and damascened in gold; though worn with age, some of the original brilliant coloring is preserved beneath the overlapping plates. The ornament includes pairs of entwined rings, a triangle (or delta) with paired palm branches, and crowns surmounting a complex monogram (either the owner's name or device). The form, decorative technique, and ornamental vocabulary are Milanese, but the helmet might also have been made by Milanese armorers working in the Spanish royal workshop at Eugui.

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