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German Gothic Gauntlet for the Left Hand, South German or Austrian, c. 1480, Steel[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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German Gothic Gauntlet for the Left Hand, South German or Austrian, c. 1480, Steel[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This piece of armor served to protect the wearer’s forearm and hand when in combat. Alternatively, it may have been a part of costume armor. Either way, the craftsmanship goes beyond the ordinary shaping of steel by including diagonal “flutes” as well as pointed edges for decoration. In addition, this piece of armor, and likely the rest of the matching set, takes on an imposing dark color. This late fifteenth century style is referred to as “Gothic”.

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This piece of armor served to protect the wearer’s forearm and hand when in combat. Alternatively, it may have been a part of costume armor. Either way, the craftsmanship goes beyond the ordinary shaping of steel. The excellent steel material also speaks to the high quality of this piece in comparison to a cheaper iron equivalent. The addition of diagonal “flutes” as well as pointed edges for decoration along with the dark color lead one to believe that this is certainly a high-class object. This late fifteenth century style is referred to as “Gothic” and elevates this piece of armor by making it fashionable and functional. Master armorers were sought after by noble patrons not unlike other artists and designers of the time. Often, you can see branding that provided a sort of signature from the smith. Despite the fashionable elements, this piece does not sacrifice utility. By not getting in the way of the armor’s ability to deflect any sort of attack, the pointed edges and subtle designs are even more of an elevation to the common man’s equivalent. This is not uncommon to see among nobility, especially when master craftsmen are involved like German armorers. Besides, around this time is when weapons began evolving specifically to pierce through armor such as this. Crossbows and firearms could easily puncture a breastplate with a solid hit, so why not add a bit of flair? Even if, by a small margin, the flutes and pointed edges don’t serve to heighten the defense of the armor, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Therefore, the master craftsmanship for kings and dukes consist of most of the surviving examples of armor around the late medieval era. However, this was not the case for the armor of lower-class foot soldiers fighting in a war for land they couldn’t even own. Even in cases where more common and certainly less fashionable armor survived, it is rusted and in pieces. Regardless of the vast gap between social classes in the medieval era, this gauntlet looks cool. It serves as an excellent example of the evolving craftsmanship and design trends of the time. Not to mention you could probably point to this piece as reference when designing a villain’s pointy, evil armor.

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Crossbow of Count Ulrich V of Württemberg (1413-1480), Swiss, c. 1460, Wood, Horn, Animal Sinew, Staghorn, Birch Bark, Iron Alloy, Copper Alloy, Pigment[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Crossbow of Count Ulrich V of Württemberg (1413-1480), Swiss, c. 1460, Wood, Horn, Animal Sinew, Staghorn, Birch Bark, Iron Alloy, Copper Alloy, Pigment[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This is, according to the MET, the “earliest known dated crossbow in existence” marking a significant shift in technology. With the rising application of plate armor, weapons needed to be designed to punch through the metal. The crossbow served as an alternative to the typical bow and used short bolts instead of arrows. The ornamentation bears rare Hebraic script, implying the patron of the weapon was Christian. As a wealthy figure, Count Ulrich V was able to go above and beyond by having these personalizations crafted.

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Breastplate (Kastenbrust), German, ca. 1450, Steel [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Breastplate (Kastenbrust), German, ca. 1450, Steel [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This breastplate bares resemblance to German Gothic Gauntlet for the Left Hand because of the flutes on the front of the plate. Breastplates such as this one were very widely used at the time, but very little survive in such good condition. The piece itself is relatively plain, yet still the craftsman found room for further design. Flair and function marry together well on pieces such as this, especially when one does not compromise the other. This breastplate is certainly above ordinary, but not as extravagant as other creative liberties taken on pieces of armor at the time.

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Turban Helmet, Turkish, possibly Istanbul, in the style of Turkman armor, Late 15th Century, Steel, Iron, Silver [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Turban Helmet, Turkish, possibly Istanbul, in the style of Turkman armor, Late 15th Century, Steel, Iron, Silver [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This piece, and others like it, are much more than a simple helmet. They were made to imitate the folds of a turban, giving the helmet its name. This elevates it beyond mere armor, as it now holds a religious connotation to it the same as a turban would. The inscriptions among the swirling Arabic motifs regard virtue and well wishes. That’s certainly much appreciated to have on the thing protecting your skull, isn’t it?

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Sallet, Italian, ca 1440-50, Steel, Leather [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Sallet, Italian, ca 1440-50, Steel, Leather [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This is a common piece, likely one of many made for an ordinary soldier. Whether or not this a piece of a whole suit of armor is unclear, though it does have holes around the edge of the helmet to attach mail to for further protection of the neck and shoulder area. This steel helmet bears little to no ornamentation, unlike many other objects in this exhibit. Personal touches and other fancy decorations were reserved for the belongings of higher-class individuals who could afford the extra flair.

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Sallet in the Shape of a Lion’s Head, Italian, ca 1475-80, Steel, Copper, Gold, Glass, Pigment, Textile. [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Sallet in the Shape of a Lion’s Head, Italian, ca 1475-80, Steel, Copper, Gold, Glass, Pigment, Textile. [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This helmet has something to say. Symbology and decoration go hand in hand, and the owner of this helmet chose to represent their courage by having the outer shell of their helmet look like the Neman Lion. What is especially important to note here is that the extravagant exterior simply sits on top of an ordinary steel helmet underneath. It makes you wonder if this same technique was used elsewhere on any matching armor. The art here, thankfully, does not make this helmet any less effective at protecting your head.

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Shield for the Field or Tournament (Targe), German, ca.1450, Wood, Leather, Linen, Gesso, Pigments, Silver [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Shield for the Field or Tournament (Targe), German, ca.1450, Wood, Leather, Linen, Gesso, Pigments, Silver [The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This highly personalized shield is one loaded with symbols able to tell a story. The coat of arms represents the fighter’s family, which is a greatly individual thing. It’s nobody else’s shield but theirs. In addition, the leather back features traces of a Saint Christopher painting. This symbol could really be in no other place than the back of a shield, considering how his image was believed to “protect against sudden death” according to the MET.

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Sword Guard (Tsuba), Japanese, ca 1475, Iron, Gold, Silver, Copper[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Sword Guard (Tsuba), Japanese, ca 1475, Iron, Gold, Silver, Copper[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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This relief is done on the piece of the sword between the blade and the grip that would protect the swordsman’s hands. Less than 3 inches long, this is an incredibly intricate piece. What this is able to do is tell a story that could not be told elsewhere on a weapon. It’s a delicate balance between art and war; design and function. It was especially important during the Warring States period, where surely art among constant violence and unrest was necessary.

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Part of a Forearm Defense (Vambrace), Italian, ca. 1450-70, Steel[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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Part of a Forearm Defense (Vambrace), Italian, ca. 1450-70, Steel[The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York]

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One part of many, this find is relatively unremarkable. Considering it was found in a fort among other armor bits and pieces, this was likely meant for an average Italian soldier. This is similar to the plain steel Sallet from earlier, as it’s a piece that could be fit onto just about anyone. The less-than-perfect condition also contrasts greatly to the decorated armor of the social elite that was well kept. This, however, was scrap, but now serves as an example of the vast difference between classes.

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Italian Suit of Armor with Sallet, Italian, c. 1450, Steel, Leather[Walters Art Museum, Baltimore]

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Italian Suit of Armor with Sallet, Italian, c. 1450, Steel, Leather[Walters Art Museum, Baltimore]

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A complete suit of armor is impressive on its own, but this set is from Milan which is known for its armorers. Like other armors on display, this suit features fluted designs where it has room. Another additional design to note is the plates protecting the underarm which have an almost floral look to them. This suit sets a high standard for knights, though its entirety might not be as extravagant as individual pieces in this exhibit. Mail can be seen in between gaps in the plate, rather than as a whole chain shirt like one might wear on its own.

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There is a lot more to these chunks of metal beyond what they do. Sure, a breastplate can deflect impacts or even stop a bullet, but those are marvels of engineering. This is an art exhibit, so we are going to look at pretty things. Even still, there is more to investigate when looking at the pieces of arms and armor on display here. These pieces each tell a story. These stories reflect not only the original craftsman or the owner, but also the time period. What was the difference between the equipment of a common foot soldier and a king? Most of what you will see that is intact belonged to nobility. It was well preserved because it probably wasn’t used. That which did its job can only do so for so long before it is rendered useless. Weapons and armor of the medieval era is comparable to the modern car in all ways except function. On the lower end, there is little ornamentation and are destroyed or beaten into scrap over time. High end cars, however, are moving works of art. They stand the test of time partly due to craftsmanship, but mostly due to the fact that they are preserved in a garage and only have a few thousand miles on them.

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You don’t want to be boring, do you? Humans have always personalized their belongings to suit their taste. You could wear rags in public to get the exact same utility of any other pair of clothes. In reality, though, you’ll probably wear something like your favorite band’s concert shirt and a comfortable pair of pants. There’s a level of fashion that’s seen among surviving armor pieces that expresses the personal touch of both the craftsman and the owner.

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Let us return to the car metaphor from earlier. A common foot soldier wears a Toyota Camry into battle. It is unremarkable and inexpensive but does its job well. The king, on the other hand, has a one-of-one-hundred make hyper car hand assembled by the best of the best under a brand with a pedigree for racing. Does it outperform and outstyle the Camry? Certainly. Will the common man ever experience this high level of craftsmanship for themselves? Probably not. The reason a lot of these pieces in the exhibit are because they’re like the million dollar car sitting in a garage, untouched by struggle. There are others, however, that have hardly stood the test of time, and were likely found with the remains of a man fighting for territory he couldn’t even have owned.

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The purpose of this exhibition was initially to show off the level of ornamentation and craftsmanship one could achieve with weapons and armor. I would have used this to make the point that the equipment in fantasy settings doesn’t have to be “realistic” or “practical” which translated to “boring”. I could have just shown the lion helmet and made my point then and there, but as I was researching I started asking why. The most complete and pristine pieces of armor belong to kings and nobility, whereas a rusted brigandine piece belonged to nobody in particular. The disparity between classes was extremely prevalent just by looking at the differences between those two groups of existing museum pieces.

Ornamentation was alive and well, specifically among higher class individuals. Objects like the German Gauntlet for the Left Hand could even be described as fashionable for the time. Even beyond that, an impressive amount of decorations were more than just designs; they were symbols. Returning to the Sallet in the Shape of a Lion Head, I was shocked to see that such a thing was even able to be made. More importantly, that frankly goofy looking outer shell was able to single handedly validate any time I’ve seen some gaudy carved shoulder plate on your average fantasy paladin character. It was such a massive restriction not being able to delve into the 16th century and beyond considering just how much the art and design of these armors had advanced, especially in the outside-of-the-box fantastical realm. Craftsmen and designers have always been balancing form and function, and that’s seen among the pieces organized in the exhibit. There is also a level of personalization seen among certain pieces. Paintings and inscriptions among pieces like the turban helmet or crossbow make that item uniquely theirs. It’s an investment equivalent today to slapping a bumper sticker on your car. Although you don’t have to gesso your car in order to proclaim your love for the Lord, the sentiment is the same.

But, with all this ornamentation, there is also the lack of it. When that’s seen, it goes to show how impersonal the item is. Furthermore, the class disparity shows plainly when comparing two objects on either end of a scale of the owner’s wealth. As mentioned in The Decoration of Arms and Armor, “this degree of decoration was as much an expression of the wearer’s status and rank as it was indicative of the value placed on such arms and armor by the owner” (Breiding). Like I said earlier, there was a level of fashion involved with the designs on these decorations. Not much has changed since then, considering specific artists and designers were sought after for their smithing. The original object label for the Italian Suit of Armor with Sallet makes specific mention that it was designed in Milan, a hub for the finest armorers, it seems. This isn’t unlike how wealthy folks today look for exotic italian supercars or fans praise a specific animation studio. Flaunting your wealth and power may have come second in terms of priority, but it was still very much an important element. When one couldn’t afford this, however, simple Steel and a good enough armorer to refit it onto you would do just fine. Mail could be made into a one-size-fits-all form of protection, but it certainly wasn’t very glamorous. No, it was the nobility of knights that flaunted their chivalrous heraldry along with their military might by having the finest weapons and armor (Norris).

Though this was initially intended to get history experts to leave me alone when designing cool armor, a lot more is to be gained when analyzing what feudalism and war can do to art and design. The adaptation and ever evolving nature of armor is indeed fascinating, and this Medieval era is only the starting point for centuries of further advancements in design and engineering.