Parade Cuirass

This cuirass (beast- and backplate) is the only known example of its kind from the turn of the seventeenth century. Produced from soft sheets of brass embossed from both the inside and out and then gilded, it was likely produced by a goldsmith rather than an armorer. Though in the form of battle-ready armor, the cuirass served no true defensive purpose, instead acting as a conspicuous sign of rank and wealth. Originally, it would have formed part of an ensemble with a burgonet—a type of open-face helmet—and a matching round shield. This garniture would have been worn by a high-ranking nobleman or military commander on festive occasions, processional entries into a city, or other courtly and civic ceremonies.

The surface of the cuirass is a riot of attenuated figures and ornament, typical of mannerist taste. The lively, more naïve than elegant mode of the decoration suggests the work of an unidentified provincial Flemish, German, or French goldsmith. Some of the figures are identifiable: from Classical antiquity, Mars and Hercules; from the Old Testament, David and Goliath; and the virtues of Justice, Temperance, Faith, and Hope. The figures are loosely taken from engraved prints by such artists as Maarten van Heemskerck (Netherlandish, 1498–1574), Hans Vredeman De Vries (Dutch, 1527–c. 1606), and Étienne Delaune (French, 1518/19–c. 1583).

The shape of the breastplate, with its pronounced high waist and deep V-shaped belly, copies the fashionable “peasecod” doublet, named for mimicking the swelled shape of a peapod. The profile of this cuirass’s belly suggests it was made around 1600.