Shaffron (Horse's Head Defense)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This shaffron is of an unusual construction that appears to be consciously imitative of Turkish armor of the period, which was made of multiple small plates of iron attached by mail to form a very flexible defense. The etched decoration, however, is typically Italian in its use of trophies and grotesques inspired by classical prototypes. The style of etching and the overall covering of the armor's surface with ornament are characteristic of armors made in Brescia, the principal arms manufacturing center in the Veneto. Armors constructed in emulation of Turkish examples reflect a taste for the exotic that had existed in Venice for centuries as a result of the republic's regular encounter, through trade and warfare, with the Middle East.

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