Composed Half Armor
Unknown Artist
ca. 1540 and later
Medium
Steel, copper alloy, leather
Dimensions
Wt. 58 lb. (26.31 kg); Wt. of helmet 4 lb. 3 oz. (1899.4 g)
Classification
Armor for Man-1/2 Armor
Culture
German
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913
Accession Number
14.25.679a–j
Art Historical Context
Step into the riveting world of 16th-century German warfare with this *Composed Half Armor*, crafted around 1540 and later assembled from expertly made components. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms and Armor Department, this suit—gifted by collector William H. Riggs in 1913—represents the pinnacle of protective gear for a male warrior, covering the torso, arms, and head while leaving the legs unarmored for mobility in battle. Forged primarily from steel, with accents of copper alloy and practical leather straps, the armor tips the scales at a hefty 58 pounds (26.31 kg), its helm...