Object Image

Armor for Man and Horse

Sets of matching armor for man and horse, such as this example from Italy, were very expensive ensembles, owned only by wealthy, aristocratic soldiers. It is rare that this set has remained together. It is also unusual to find a matching shield with a suit of armor of this period, for shields were seldom used by the end of the 14th century. This suggests the museum's armor may have been part of a large set, or garniture, whose elements were used in different combinations for a variety of activities. Craftsmen in the northern Italian towns of Milan and Brescia dominated European plate armor production in the 15th century, exporting armor all over Europe. 16th-century Milanese craftsmen continued...
c. 1565
Steel and copper with gilding, leather, and textile
76.0 x 96.0 x 45.0 in
42-41
Image and text: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 2023

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Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Permanent collection

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