However, it was less effective against crushing weapons like maces and the steel-tipped bolts of a crossbow. Created from tens of thousands of interlocking iron rings, mail provided excellent protection against sword cuts. Centuries earlier, the knight fighting from horseback wore an iron helmet and a shirt of mail. In the late Middle Ages (1300–1400), plate armor emerged in Europe in response to changes in weaponry, battlefield tactics, and improvements in metalworking technology. Saint Louis Art Museum, Museum Purchase 38:1919 A combed helmet from the mid-1500s is displayed nearby. The artist probably intended to evoke the kind of armor used by ancient warriors. Though set in the distant past, these mythological characters wear the fashions and armor of the early 1500s. In the upper right, Iris, messenger of the gods, sports a similar helmet. Known as “goddess of the hunt,” Artemis bears a shield, lance, breastplate, and an open-faced helmet with a ridged comb. In the center of this tapestry, a woman in a green gown worships at an altar dedicated to Artemis. Tapestry, Daphne at the Temple of Artemis, Worcester Art Museum, The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, 2014.1072 Known as a burgonet, this style of open-faced helmet with cheek guards and raised combs resembles those depicted in the Flemish tapestry hanging nearby. The pairs of holes in the metal are for laces to attach a decorative fabric cover that was tied in place, leaving the combs exposed. It was probably produced for the personal guards of an important German nobleman. Raised from a flat sheet of steel into a triple-combed shape, this exceptional helmet was made by a master armorer. Steel with restored leather strap and buckle Desmond Lee Family Endowment for Exhibitions. Presented with generous support from the Betsy & Thomas Patterson Foundation and the E. This exhibition explores armor’s global relevance from the European Middle Ages (about 500-1500) through the Renaissance (about 1500-1650) and into the present day.Īge of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum was organized by the WORCESTER ART MUSEUM. Even as combat changed and armor’s ability to protect decreased, its forms continued to reflect these ideals. At the height of their achievement in the 1500s, they created expressive armors combining advanced metalworking and decorating techniques with sophisticated style on par with elite male fashion.Īrmor played a significant cultural role as well, symbolizing one’s identity and power, wealth and social prestige, and the values of a heroic past. These craftspeople were among the most skilled and celebrated artists of their time. It fulfilled a practical function when warfare was common and fighting was hand-to-hand.īeginning in the mid-1300s, European armorers developed the classic knightly suit of plate armor, which sheathed the entire body in steel. February 18–Entrance in Ferring Gallery 212Īge of Armor Treasures from the Higgins Collection at the Worcester Art MuseumĪrmor has been worn as both physical protection and personal adornment for thousands of years in nearly every culture around the world.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |