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Armor for Heavy Cavalry with Matching Shaffron (Horse's Head Defense)

ca. 1600
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 374
One of the best-preserved French armors dating from the reign of Henry IV (1589–1610), this example demonstrates the French preference for completely gilt armors. It retains its original yellow silk helmet lining and red leather straps sewn with metallic thread. Matching this armor are a shaffron (defense for the horse's head), also in the Metropolitan Museum's collection (acc. no. 27.177.2), and a saddle, now in the Musée de l'Armée, Paris.

In spite of its rich decoration, this armor was intended for use in battle. It was made at a time when the lance had been abandoned by the heavily armored cavalry in favor of a pair of pistols kept in holsters at the front of the saddle. The presence of hand firearms on the battlefield led to the increasing weight of armors such as this and the gradual discarding of elements like the defenses for the lower legs.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Armor for Heavy Cavalry with Matching Shaffron (Horse's Head Defense)
  • Date: ca. 1600
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Steel, gold, leather, textile
  • Dimensions: armor: H. 57 in. (144.78 cm); Wt. 77 lb. 2 oz. (34.98 kg); shaffron: H. 22 in. (55.88 cm); Wt. 2 lb. 14 oz. (1.3 kg)
  • Classification: Armor for Man-3/4 Armor
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1927
  • Object Number: 27.177.1, .2
  • Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

More Artwork

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Shaffron (Horse's Head Defense)
ca. 1600
Armor for Heavy Cavalry
ca. 1600
Shield of Henry II of France (reigned 1547–59), Steel, gold, silver, French
Shield of Henry II of France (reigned 1547–59)
French
ca. 1555
Armor with Matching Shaffron and Saddle Plates, Steel, copper alloy, silver, gold, leather, textile, Italian, Milan
Armor with Matching Shaffron and Saddle Plates
Italian, Milan
ca. 1600
Shield, Girolamo da Treviso Italian, Wood, linen, gesso, gold leaf, polychromy, Italian, probably Bologna
Shield
Attributed to Girolamo da Treviso
ca. 1535

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