Shaffron (Horse's Head Defense)

Romain des Ursins

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This is a rare example of a late Gothic shaffron preserved with its matching crinet also in the Metropolitan Museum's collection (acc. no. 14.25.1662). The combination of the shaffron's slender, pointed shape and its radiating ridges, together with the Italian-style armorer's marks, suggests that it is a work alla tedesca (in the German fashion) by an Italian master. The mark, an orb surmounted by a cross above the letters ROM ROM, has been attributed to the Milanese armorer Romain des Ursins, who appears to have supplied armor to the French court. (The ear and eye guards, bottom lame of the crinet, and mail fringe are ninteenth-century restorations.)

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