Close Helmet for a Cuirassier

ca. 1615–20

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 371

The form and construction of this helmet are typical for an Italian heavy cavalry helmet of good quality from the early seventeenth century. Highly unusual, however, are the engraved and gilded letters and monograms that decorate its russet surface. These probably represent the name or motto of an Italian or French nobleman, but their meaning, perhaps the key to the owner's identity, remain to be discovered.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: Close Helmet for a Cuirassier
Date: ca. 1615–20
Culture: Italian
Medium: Steel, gold, copper alloy, leather
Dimensions: H. 10 1/4 in. (26 cm); W. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm); D. 9 5/8 in. (24.5 cm); Wt. 8 lb. 8 oz. (3860 g)
Classification: Helmets
Credit Line: Purchase, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Gift, 2011
Object Number: 2011.80
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

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