Skip to Main Content

Gothic Breastplate

late 1400s
steel
Overall: 53.2 x 35.2 x 16.3 cm (20 15/16 x 13 7/8 x 6 7/16 in.)
Weight: 4.68 kg (10.32 lbs.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1720
Location: 210A Armor Court
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

As a result of the introduction of plate armor, the shield became superfluous and gradually disappeared from use.

Description

This elegantly constructed breastplate consists of two primary plates of steel fastened at center by a rivet. The lower plate is embellished with a border of embossed flutes that converge upward and terminate in a fleur-de-lys. The pair of rivet holes in the upper right breast accommodated a lance rest, now lost.
Gothic Breastplate

Gothic Breastplate

late 1400s

South Germany or Austria, Innsbruck, late 15th century

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.