Infantry Armor

Unknown

ca. 1600 · Steel, leather · Arms and Armor

The armorers of Nuremberg were famous for their ability to produce large quantities of plate armor relatively quickly. In the second half of the sixteenth century, they specialized in making high-quality infantry armors with simple but bold decoration in the form of bright bands that contrast with the black-painted surfaces. This late example is typical of these armors for its open-faced helmet (burgonet) and plates covering only the upper half of the arms, the torso, and the legs from the hips to the knees. The blackened surfaces presumably rendered the armor less susceptible to rust, so that it required little maintenance.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1600

Medium

Steel, leather

Culture

German, Nuremberg

Department

Arms and Armor

Credit line

Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913