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

Armet

1520-1540 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This style of helmet that closely follows the line of the neck is known as an armet and gradually replaced the long-tailed helmets popular in northern Europe at the end of the 15th century. Its hinged visor allows only limited visibility as the helmet was designed for jousting in which one only need to move forwards in a straight line.

Jousting was a dangerous sport that formed an essential part of a Renaissance nobleman's training. Separated by a barrier, opposing knights charged each other on horseback and through limited vision amid the sound of thundering hooves, aimed to break each other’s lance. The helmet’s narrow eye-slits reduced the risk of facial injury.

The helmet is decorated with ridges that imitate contemporary headwear and the pleating of cloth as well as add strength. It would have been worn as part of a matching armour. Jousting armour was extremely heavy to protect specific target areas. The vertical ‘fluting’ decoration was popular during the reign of the Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519).


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Steel, forged
Brief description
Four sided armet with fluted skull and roped comb, hinged cheekpieces and 'monkey-faced' visor in the 'Maximilian' style, Germany, 1530-40
Physical description
Four sided armet with fluted skull and roped comb, hinged cheekpieces and 'monkey-faced' visor.
Dimensions
  • Approx height: 33cm
  • Width: 24.5cm
  • Depth: 34cm
  • Weight: 3.04kg
Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries
Style
Credit line
Bequeathed by Mr G. H. Ramsbottom, through Art Fund
Object history
This style of helmet that closely follows the line of the neck is known as an armet and gradually replaced the long-tailed helmets popular in northern Europe at the end of the 15th century. Its hinged visor allows only limited visibility as the helmet was designed for jousting when one only needed to move forwards in a straight line.

The museum acquired the helmet in 1931 when it was bequeathed by Mr G. H. Ramsbottom through The Art Fund
Historical context
Jousting was a dangerous sport that formed an essential part of a Renaissance nobleman's training. Separated by a barrier, opposing knights charged each other on horseback and through limited vision amid the sound of thundering hooves, aimed to break each other’s lance. The helmet’s narrow eye-slits reduced the risk of facial injury.

The helmet is decorated with ridges that imitate contemporary headwear and the pleating of cloth as well as add strength. It would have been worn as part of a matching armour. Jousting armour was extremely heavy to protect specific target areas. The vertical ‘fluting’ decoration was popular during the reign of the Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519).
Subjects depicted
Summary
This style of helmet that closely follows the line of the neck is known as an armet and gradually replaced the long-tailed helmets popular in northern Europe at the end of the 15th century. Its hinged visor allows only limited visibility as the helmet was designed for jousting in which one only need to move forwards in a straight line.

Jousting was a dangerous sport that formed an essential part of a Renaissance nobleman's training. Separated by a barrier, opposing knights charged each other on horseback and through limited vision amid the sound of thundering hooves, aimed to break each other’s lance. The helmet’s narrow eye-slits reduced the risk of facial injury.

The helmet is decorated with ridges that imitate contemporary headwear and the pleating of cloth as well as add strength. It would have been worn as part of a matching armour. Jousting armour was extremely heavy to protect specific target areas. The vertical ‘fluting’ decoration was popular during the reign of the Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519).
Bibliographic references
  • Capwell, Tobias The Real Fighting Stuff (Glasgow Museums, 2007)
  • Christian Beaufort and Matthias Pfaffenbichler, Meisterwerke der Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer, Kunsthistorischesmuseum, Vienna, 2005)
Collection
Accession number
M.2705-1931

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Record createdMarch 29, 2004
Record URL
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