Composite "Maximilian" Armor
Dateprimarily 1510–1520
Mediumsteel and leather
Dimensions42 lb 13 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.806
Descriptiona) Reworked close-helmet. Bevor and visor belong together. Skull is apparently reworked early burgonet (cf. to Wallace Collection A.89). Skull of 2 parts, upper half of 1-piece, level with tops of ears, pierced at temples for visor pivots. Skull is studded with embossed bands of raised bossets and lightly etched foliate design. Low comb decorated with foliate arabesques within single line borders. Lower nape defense of 1 lame. Bevor associated with skull. Bellows visor of 1-piece with transverse flutings, sincle occularium; secured with pivot hook on right of bevor. Nape defense reworked to fit. (b) Collar of 2 pivoted plates front and rear, with articulated neck lames, the whole now secured on the right by a keyhole slot snapping over a dome headed rivet. Front plate associated, embossed and etched later. Spring loaded posts at side terminals of rear plate for pauldrons.
(c) Breastplate is globose on the lower half, embossed with deep, divergent fluting. The upper half is plain, etched with intertwined strapwork on either side of a central medallion of the Madonna and Child. Flexible gussets and upper border are inwardly turned and plain. Skirt of four lames, lower three are restored, and embossed and etched to match.
(d) Restored backplate of 1 plate, with plain borders rolled in at armpits, outwardly at neck. Associated ancient waist flange and culet embossed later.
(e) Rounded pauldrons c. 1518-25 are asymmetrical, of six lames each. The central lames have integral haute pieces. These pauldrons appear to be from an armor of Jacques de Genouilhac, called Galiot (d. 1546), who was Maitre d'Artillerie for Francis I of France. The borders of the haute-pieces bear an etched and gilt motif of cannons and flaming cannonballs. Left pauldron similarly formed to the right, but extending deeply down over the armpit.
(f) Right pauldron of rounded form, cut-out at armpit for lance. Of 6 articulated lames working on sliding rivets.
(g) Vambraces of two rotating upper halves, five-lamed couters with heart-shaped sidewings, and longitudinally hinged lower cannons. Decoration of etched and gilt foliate arabesques. Left arm defense restored.
(h) Right arm defense of 2-piece construction, upper half rotating in rolled, riveted upper cannon, lower edge of which is scalloped.
(o) Gauntlets with hinged cuffs, metacarpal lames, thumb defences and mail fringe (reshaped). Left gauntlet similarly constructed to the right, and formed of 4 metacarpal lames & 2-piece, hinged cuff plate with basal flange.
(p) Right gauntlet.
(i) Cuisses of one main plate embossed with a fan-like fluted design, and fitted with three articulated plates above. Laminated poleyns, the terminal lame pierced with two keyhole-shaped slots for the turning pins of the greaves. Left cuisse and (j) right cuisse are etched; except for the poleyn, the right is a modern copy of the left, which is itself heavily restored .
Greaves of two hinged plates, extending to the ankes. (k) Left greave and (l) right greave of two hinged and strapped plates, etched en suite. Backplates reworked (right) and restored (left).
(m) Left sabaton and (n) right sabaton are reproductions except toecap and following three lames of right, Edges of lames are bracket-cut.
ProvenanceFranz Thill Collection, Vienna (gorget and breastplate, to 1905) S. J. Whawell Frank Gair Macomber, Boston. Helmet: John Long Severance purchase for the Cleveland Museum of Art, exchanged with Bashford Dean (#16) for equestrian armor. Dean acquired the gorget and breastplate from Macomber, having already borrowed and displayed them with the helmet in Metropolitan Museum of Art's 1911 catalogue, #39, pl. XXV). Dean is responsible for the full composed suit, adding his helmet, pauldrons, and Marchat restorations in 1912. Clarence H. Mackay (#A.49-until (?) 1941) Kende Galleries at Gimbel Bros. (1941). Purchased by the Armory on 26 December 1941, from Gimbel Bros./Hammer Galleries (NYC) as suit A-49 of the Mackay estate. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.
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