Breastplate
c. 1520
Medium
Steel
Classification
suit-element
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
116291
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Once part of a complete armor, this breastplate features bold fluted or rippled surfaces meant to mimic the fashionable pleats and slashes on contemporary clothing. Enhancing the allusion to textiles, the slashes and borders are acid etched with ornament not unlike embroidery or patterned silk. On the center top is a scene of the Crucifixion, undoubtedly meant to invoke holy protection in battle.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...