Armor for Man and Horse with Völs-Colonna Arms
Unknown Artist
c. 1575
Medium
steel
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1964.88
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
A knight depended on his horse both as a weapon and a means of defense. He therefore had to take great care to protect his charger. From the 1100s on, knights first covered their steeds in trappings of fabric and later of mail. By around 1400, full steel plate armor for horses was complete. It is possible that this armor made for both man and horse originally belonged to a "garniture," an armor with multiple customized exchange elements that could convert the basic suit to various field and spor...