Close Helmet from a Garniture Made for a Member of the d'Avalos Family
Unknown Artist
ca. 1560–70
Medium
Steel, gold
Dimensions
H. 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm); W. 10 in. (25.4 cm); D. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm); Wt. 9 lb. (4082 g)
Classification
Helmets
Culture
German, Augsburg
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander McMillan Welch, 1929
Accession Number
29.153.3
Art Historical Context
This exquisite close helmet, crafted around 1560–70 in Augsburg, Germany, forms part of a garniture—a versatile armor set designed for multiple uses, from battlefield combat to tournaments. Made for a member of the noble d'Avalos family, likely Italian aristocrats with ties to Spanish imperial service, it exemplifies the pinnacle of Renaissance armor-making. Augsburg was Europe's premier center for such work, where master armorers blended deadly functionality with opulent decoration to suit elite patrons. Forged from steel and adorned with gold—probably through gilding or damascening—the helm...