Parade Cuirass
c. 1600 -1610
Medium
Brass, iron, leather, silver-gilt thread, silk and linen textile
Dimensions
H.: 44 cm (17 3/8 in.)
Classification
armor
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
262717
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This cuirass (beast- and backplate) is the only known example of its kind from the turn of the seventeenth century. Produced from soft sheets of brass embossed from both the inside and out and then gilded, it was likely produced by a goldsmith rather than an armorer. Though in the form of battle-ready armor, the cuirass served no true defensive purpose, instead acting as a conspicuous sign of rank and wealth. Originally, it would have formed part of an ensemble with a burgonet—a type of open-fac...
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...