Cuirass from an Armor of Tsar Dmitry I
1605/06
Medium
Steel
Dimensions
H.: 41.3 cm (16 1/4 in.)
Classification
suit-element
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
116344
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The Moscow coat of arms with an imperial double-headed eagle identifies the owner of this breastplate as Dmitry I, the ill-fated tsar of Russia who falsely claimed to be Ivan the Terrible’s lost youngest son. After only 11 months of rule, members of the Russian nobility (boyars) assassinated him and shot the ashes of his body out of a cannon. Dmitry rose to power with Polish support and was heavily influenced by Western taste and politics. This Italian-made armor (with matching helmet , also in...
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...