Cleveland Museum of Art

Pair of Gothic Fan-Shaped Pauldron

Antonio Missaglia

Date

c. 1485–1500

Medium

steel

Culture

Italy, Milan

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

When the elements that made up a suit of armor had been forged, shaped, and polished, they were inspected for fit and finish. At this stage the master armorer would use a punch to stamp each element with his maker's mark. Other associated marks might include a town or guild mark, depending on the city of origin. The set of three marks shown here are of a type known to be Milanese. The upper mark seems to show three letters beneath a crown, while the mark below, twice repeated, is a split cross with the letters inside. These probably refer to the Missaglias. A pauldron is a component of plate armor that covers the shoulder and often the armpit, and parts of the back and chest as well.

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