Greaves and cuisse resembling contemporary silk stockings, forged and embossed steel with etched borders, one greave with two rows of scales spanning the knee attaching the greave to a cuisse, southern Germany, ca. 1540

Embossed steel with etched borders, one greave with two rows of scales spanning the knee attaching the greave to a cuisse.

Bequeathed by Major Victor Alexander Farquharson

From the Radizwill Armoury, formerly in the castle of Nieswiez, Poland

This armour provided protection for the lower legs. Covering the lower legs are greaves while the armour for the left leg still has articulated plates above the knee and remnants of its thigh protection called a cuisse.

Despite its obvious protective requirements, armour was every bit as fashion dependent as clothing. Like the best clothing, good armour was made-to-measure. Leg protection in particular needed to fit comfortably for freedom of movement. Greaves, covering the shins and calves were unique to individuals, and would require personalized alteration if they passed into different ownership. The Spanish writer Luis Zapata was openly modish in his advice during the 1580s: 'Like a cape or a smock', armour could soon become old fashioned, so fashionably 'tailored' armour was favoured. It was 'most unseemly for a jouster to move about in armour rattling like kettles'. These slender greaves have embossed ridges which not only add strength but relate this armour in style to contemporary silk stockings.

The border of the cuisse is etched with running foliage. This decoration is characteristic of the armour produced in southern Germany. Etching creates a two-dimensional surface decoration to contrast with plainer areas of polished metal. It was used as ornament on both fighting and parade armour from the late fifteenth century. The blades of ceremonial weapons in the late sixteenth century were also commonly decorated this way.

The technique involves coating an already formed object with an acid-resistant substance such as wax and then engraving the wax with the desired pattern to reveal the metal underneath. The exposed areas of the metal are then eaten away when the entire surface is coated with acid, so that when the wax is removed a low-relief impression is left on the metal. This was usually blackened to increase the contrast. Low relief etching made it possible to create highly decorated armours without affecting the structural integrity of the metal.

This armour provided protection for the lower legs. Covering the lower legs are greaves while the armour for the left leg still has articulated plates above the knee and remnants of its thigh protection called a cuisse.

Despite its obvious protective requirements, armour was every bit as fashion dependent as clothing. Like the best clothing, good armour was made-to-measure. Leg protection in particular needed to fit comfortably for freedom of movement. Greaves, covering the shins and calves were unique to individuals, and would require personalized alteration if they passed into different ownership. The Spanish writer Luis Zapata was openly modish in his advice during the 1580s: 'Like a cape or a smock', armour could soon become old fashioned, so fashionably 'tailored' armour was favoured. It was 'most unseemly for a jouster to move about in armour rattling like kettles.' These slender greaves have embossed ridges which not only add strength but relate this armour in style to contemporary silk stockings.

M.564&A-1927