Cleveland Museum of Art

Partial Suit of Armor in Maximilian Style

Date

c. 1525

Medium

steel

Culture

Germany, Nuremberg

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This fluted armor was visually striking in natural sunlight, which created a dazzling effect as it reflected off the polished, rippling steel. The flutings may have originated as a means of imitating the pleatings of male costume of the day. It became apparent, however, that the flutings were also a strengthening device, similar to corrugated metal. This enabled the armorer to use plates of thinner—and therefore lighter—steel. Such suits of armor demanded time-consuming and highly precise work from the armorer, which in turn quickly drove the production costs high enough that the fashion disappeared by 1540. The style's name is derived from Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, during whose reign this was popular.

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