Arm Defense
Unknown Artist
ca. 1450–70
Medium
Steel
Dimensions
H. 14 in. (35.6 cm); W. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); D. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm); Wt. 1 lb. 4.5 oz. (581.2 g)
Classification
Armor Parts
Culture
Italian
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Bequest of Bashford Dean, 1928
Accession Number
29.150.21
Art Historical Context
This elegant arm defense, crafted in steel around 1450–70 by an unknown Italian armorer, exemplifies the pinnacle of Renaissance-era protective gear. Measuring just 14 inches high and weighing a mere 1 pound 4.5 ounces, it was designed to shield the forearm and upper arm while allowing fluid movement for a knight or soldier in combat. Part of a larger suit of plate armor, such pieces were ingeniously shaped to deflect blows, with articulated sections that hugged the body's contours for maximum mobility. Hailing from Italy—likely Milan, a hub of armor production—these defenses reflect the era'...