Armor
16th century and later
Medium
Steel, brass, leather
Dimensions
Wt. 41 lb. 9 oz. (18.85 kg); Wt. of helmet 10 lb. 8 oz. (4.75 kg)
Classification
Armor for Man
Culture
German
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913
Accession Number
14.25.702
Art Historical Context
This magnificent suit of armor, crafted by the skilled German armorer Hans Michel the 16th century later refined, exemplifies the pinnacle of Renaissance-era metalworking. Made from steel, brass, and leather it was designed for a man, weighing a formidable 41 pounds 9 ounces (18.85 kg) total, with the helmet alone tipping the scales at 10 pounds 8 (4.75 kg). Displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms Armor Department, it entered the collection as a gift from William. Riggs in 1913. In 16th-century Germany, such armor represented both battlefield necessity and status symbol, protecting...