Bascinet
Unknown Artist
ca. 1325
Medium
Steel, leather
Dimensions
H. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm); W. 8 1/4 in. (21 cm); D. 9 3/16 in. (23.3 cm); Wt. 2 lb. 11 oz. (1219 g); Wt. of vervelle 1.9 oz. (53.9 g)
Classification
Helmets
Culture
German
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Funds from various donors, 1929
Accession Number
29.158.33
Art Historical Context
Step into the riveting world of 14th-century warfare with this exquisite bascinet, a helmet dating to around 1325. Crafted from steel with leather components, it measures just 7¾ inches high and weighs a nimble 2 pounds 11 ounces, making it remarkably lightweight for its era. Produced during the late Middle Ages, when chivalric combat dominated European battlefields, this helmet exemplifies the shift from heavy, enclosed great helms to more agile designs that prioritized mobility without sacrificing protection. The bascinet's open-faced structure, often paired with a chainmail aventail for ne...