Sculpture of a Kneeling Knight or King

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Latin Chronicles (ca. 1212) of the kings of Castile proclaims: “On our side, Christ, God, and Man. On the Moors’, the Faithless, and Damned Apostle, Muhammad.” The Christian reconquest of the Iberian peninsula, from 1212 onward, became one of the defining political and cultural events of western Europe. Perhaps kneeling in supplication, this king—entirely covered in mail—comes from an unknown setting.

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