Shaffron thumbnail 1
Shaffron thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Medieval & Renaissance, Room 62, The Foyle Foundation Gallery

Shaffron

1520-1530 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Horses wore specialised armour for battle, pageant and tournament. Their armour often matched that of their riders. This 'shaffron' protected the face of a large and powerful battle horse. It is one of many pieces of South German armour that belonged to the powerful Radziwill family at Nieswiez Castle in Poland.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Embossed and etched steel
Brief description
Embossed and etched steel shaffron for a large horse, with an escutcheon bearing the arms of Sigismund, King of Poland (1506-48), Germany, ca. 1525
Physical description
Embossed and etched steel defence for a large horse's head, with an applied esctutcheon engraved with a crowned Polish eagle bearing a letter 'S', the arms of Sigismund, King of Poland (b. 1467, r.1506-1548)
Dimensions
  • Height: 36.8cm
  • Width: 62cm
  • Depth: 36.5cm
  • Weight: 2.840kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Marks and inscriptions
Engraved with a crowned Polish eagle bearing a letter 'S (Esctutcheon, the arms of Sigismund, King of Poland (1506-1548))
Credit line
Bequeathed by Major Victor Alexander Farquharson
Object history
From the armoury of Prince Radziwill at Nieswiez castle, Poland
Historical context
Horses wore specialised armour for battle, pageant and tournament. Their armour often matched that of their riders. This 'shaffron' protected the face of a large and powerful battle horse. It is one of many pieces of South German armour that belonged to the powerful Radziwill family at Nieswiez Castle in Poland.
Summary
Horses wore specialised armour for battle, pageant and tournament. Their armour often matched that of their riders. This 'shaffron' protected the face of a large and powerful battle horse. It is one of many pieces of South German armour that belonged to the powerful Radziwill family at Nieswiez Castle in Poland.
Bibliographic references
  • J.F. Hayward., European Armour, London, 1965, cat. 7
  • Stuart Pyhrr, Donald J. LaRocca and Dirk H. Breiding, The Armored Horse in Europe (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2005)
Collection
Accession number
M.512-1927

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Record createdMarch 30, 2004
Record URL
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