Cleveland Museum of Art

Elements from a Partial Suit of Armor

Date

c. 1510–30

Medium

steel with black paint

Culture

Germany

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This partial suit of armor contains a close helmet, breastplate, and backplate. Below the breast plate is the fauld, plates of armor that extend below the breastplate to protect the waist and hips. The breastplate includes a lance rest, a metal flange that could be brought down when needed. The lance rest helps spread the impact of a blow through the breastplate to the torso of the wearer, thus redirecting the force of the blow away from the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. The helmet is a true "close helmet"; it pivots open at the rivets on the side and completely protects the face when lowered. Unfortunately the remainder of this suit of armor has been lost to history.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.