Right Thigh and Knee Defense (Cuisse and Poleyn) for the Armor of Sir John Scudamore (1541 or 1542–1623)

Right Thigh and Knee Defense (Cuisse and Poleyn) for the Armor of Sir John Scudamore (1541 or 1542–1623)

Daniel Tachaux

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This leg piece, a superb example of hammerwork, etching, and gilding, was made by Daniel Tachaux in 1913, as part of his comprehensive restoration of the late sixteenth-century Scudamore armors (on permanent display at the Metropolitan Museum, gallery 371, accession numbers 11.128.1, .2). These two armors were incomplete and badly damaged when acquired by the Museum in 1911. Despite their condition, Arms and Armor Department founding curator Bashford Dean recognized their importance and rarity and gave Tachaux the challenging assignment of restoring them to their original appearance. In addition to making missing pieces, such as this, Tachaux skillfully cleaned, repaired, and reassembled all the surviving original parts. When the original right thigh and knee defense unexpectedly appeared at auction in 1922, it was reunited with the armor, replacing Tachaux's accurate recreation of it.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Right Thigh and Knee Defense (Cuisse and Poleyn) for the Armor of Sir John Scudamore (1541 or 1542–1623)Right Thigh and Knee Defense (Cuisse and Poleyn) for the Armor of Sir John Scudamore (1541 or 1542–1623)Right Thigh and Knee Defense (Cuisse and Poleyn) for the Armor of Sir John Scudamore (1541 or 1542–1623)Right Thigh and Knee Defense (Cuisse and Poleyn) for the Armor of Sir John Scudamore (1541 or 1542–1623)Right Thigh and Knee Defense (Cuisse and Poleyn) for the Armor of Sir John Scudamore (1541 or 1542–1623)

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.