"Waistcoat" Cuirass (Combined Breast and Backplates)
Unknown Artist
c. 1580
Medium
Steel; brass rivets simulating buttons
Dimensions
47.6 × 29.6 × 25.7 cm
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Accession Number
1916.1721
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This cuirass is a specialized type of costume armor. In addition to protecting its owner's torso, it was clearly intended to simulate a civilian jacket, or doublet, with a row of buttons down the front. The owner would have opened it like an ordinary doublet since the two halves are hinged to a narrow backplate.