Reinforcing Pieces for the Tourney

Kolman Helmschmid

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In the late fifteenth century, specialized exchange and reinforcing pieces were devised that allowed a single field armor to be adapted for use in various forms of the tournament. The ensemble of pieces was known as a garniture. The armorers Lorenz Helmschmid (about 1445–1516) and his son Kolman, working for Emperor Maximilian I (1459–1519), were among the principal inventors of the garniture. Exhibited here are some of the earliest pieces stamped with the mark of Kolman, the most innovative armorer of his generation. These reinforces represent an early form of garniture for the tourney, a combat fought by groups of horseman armed with blunted lances and swords. The decoration imitates the elaborately brocaded textile that was fashionable in court costume.

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