Chanfron in Maximilian Style
Unknown Artist
c. 1510
Medium
steel
Dimensions
59.2 × 33.2 × 10.1 cm
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Accession Number
1916.1845
About this artwork
The chanfron was the primary element that protected and decorated a horse's forehead and face. It consisted of a plate of steel contoured to the horse's head from its ears to its nostrils. Normally, two holes were cut at each side of the forehead for the ears, and earpieces were sometimes riveted around their edges. This example, however, was forged in one piece. It belongs to the transitional period between the Gothic and the fluted armors introduced by Emperor Maximilian. The hinge at the top ...