Cuirassier Armor
For use on horseback in the field
Artist/maker unknown, Northern Italian
Geography:
Probably made in Milan, Italy, Europe
Date:
1633-34Medium:
Blued (now russet colored) and partially gilded steel, brass, leather replaced, silk Curatorial Department:
European Decorative Arts and SculptureObject Location:
1977-167-39Credit Line:
Bequest of Carl Otto Kretzschmar von Kienbusch, 1977
Probably made in Milan, Italy, Europe
Date:
1633-34Medium:
Blued (now russet colored) and partially gilded steel, brass, leather replaced, silk Curatorial Department:
European Decorative Arts and SculptureObject Location:
* Gallery 249, Arms and Armor, second floor (Kretzschmar von Kienbusch Galleries)
Accession Number:1977-167-39Credit Line:
Bequest of Carl Otto Kretzschmar von Kienbusch, 1977
Explore the Collections
This suit, made to the measure of a slender man, is a deluxe version of a cuirassier armor, a type used by horsemen armed with pistols and swords, particularly during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) in Europe. There are no defenses for the lower legs as these were normally guarded by tall leather boots. Though the helmet is formed in the manner of contemporary Flemish examples, the construction and other details suggest that it was actually made in Milan, which regularly exported armor to the southern Netherlands.
* Works in the collection are moved off view for many different reasons. Although gallery locations on the website are updated regularly, there is no guarantee that this object will be on display on the day of your visit.
