{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O97825"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O97825/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NG0658/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2022NG0658/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2022NG0658","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB2923","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB2924","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB2925","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB2926","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NB2927","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O97825/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O97825","accessionNumber":"M.600-D-1927","objectType":"Five armoured lames","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Five lames of armour in steel with etched and gilt decoration in 'pinked' and 'slashed' fashion from two separate armoured sleeves, Innsbruck or Augsburg, ca. 1515. The surfaces are embossed with recessed s-shaped 'slashes' and are etched with a pattern similar to emboidery and retain traces of gilding. Three of the lames are stencilled in red paint with the number 44, indicative of pieces coming from the Radziwill armoury at Nieswiez in Poland.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Seusenhofer, Konrad","id":"A11832"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28690"},"note":"M.600-, M.600A-, M.600C-, M.600D-1927"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"forging","id":"AAT54033"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"},{"text":"embossing","id":"AAT53826"},{"text":"etching","id":"x39131"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Forged, embossed, etched and gilt steel.","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"}],"styles":[{"text":"Renaissance","id":"AAT21140"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2022NG0658","2021NB2923","2021NB2924","2021NB2925","2021NB2926","2021NB2927"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES412534"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES412531"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES405439"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES412534"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES405439"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Fragment","id":""}],[{"text":"Armour","id":""}],[{"text":"Fragment","id":""}],[{"text":"Armour","id":""}],[{"text":"Fragment","id":""}],[{"text":"Armour","id":""}],[{"text":"Fragment","id":""}],[{"text":"Armour","id":""}],[{"text":"Fragment","id":""}],[{"text":"Armour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Innsbruck","id":"x28914"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"Augsburg","id":"x32552"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1515","earliest":"1510-01-01","latest":"1519-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Major Victor Alexander Farquharson","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"53","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"base to top","note":"M.600-1927"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"208","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter perpendicular to etched section","note":"M.600-1927"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"214","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter parallel to etched section","note":"M.600-1927"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"102","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"base to top","note":"M.600A-1927"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"332","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter perpendicular to etched section","note":"M.600A-1927"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"255","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter parallel to etched section","note":"M.600A-1927"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"102","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"base to top","note":"M.600B-1927"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"335","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter perpendicular to etched section","note":"M.600B-1927"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"239","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter parallel to etched section","note":"M.600B-1927"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"121","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"base to top","note":"M.600C-1927"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"270","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter perpendicular to etched section","note":"M.600C-1927"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"215","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter parallel to etched section","note":"M.600C-1927"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"121","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"base to top","note":"M.600D-1927"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"194","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter perpendicular to etched section","note":"M.600D-1927"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"268","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"02/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-02","latest":"2022-09-02"},"part":"diameter parallel to etched section","note":"M.600D-1927"},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"200","unit":"g","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"29/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-29","latest":"2022-09-29"},"part":"M.600-1927","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"250","unit":"g","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"29/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-29","latest":"2022-09-29"},"part":"M.600A-1927","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"200","unit":"g","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"29/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-29","latest":"2022-09-29"},"part":"M.600B-1927","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"150","unit":"g","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"29/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-29","latest":"2022-09-29"},"part":"M.600C-1927","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"100","unit":"g","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"29/09/2022","earliest":"2022-09-29","latest":"2022-09-29"},"part":"M.600D-1927","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The lames were bequeathed to the Museum in 1927 by Major Victor Alan Farquharson who had bought them along with other pieces of armour at a sale of the armoury of Prince Radziwill of Nieswiez Castle, Poland, Christies, 29th June 1926, lot 2.\n\nParts M.600, M.600A, M.600C and M.600D-1927 closely match a base skirt in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (Museum no. MMA 14.25.790). A base skirt mimicked the contemporary skirts worn below or as part of long doublets. As a piece of armour the skirt was rigid and allowed freedom of movement for the legs for foot combat either side of a barrier. The example at the Metropolitan Museum suggests the lames were part of an equestrian armour. The base skirt has a large section cut out of the front to enable the wearer to sit on horseback. The Metropolitan Museum attributes the base skirt to the great Innsbruck armourer, Konrad Seusenhofer, giving a likely attribution for four of these lames. Seusenhofer was originally from Augsburg andin 1504 was appointed court armourer to Maximilian I at Innsbruck (Austria). He directed the court workshop until his death in 1517 when he was succeeded by his brother Hans, until 1555.\n\nPart M.600B-1927 comes from a separate as yet unidentified armour also from the Radziwill collection.\n\nDuring the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Radziwill Armoury in Poland was ransacked on several occasions by Russian troops and after World War 1 what was left was in a serious state of neglect with many pieces rusty and broken. The damaged and fragmentary nature of these 5 lames are typical of the pieces sold in the auction at Christie's in 1926.","historicalContext":"Traditionally, armour has been interpreted in museums and country houses as either utilitarian and functional or even mildly comical. Most museums target their armour collections primarily towards children's activities when in fact the subject when viewed through the lenses of personal image and contemporary fashion can appeal to all ages and backgrounds. Renaissance noblemen used armour as a principal means for defining their image and many put fragments of armour over ther tombs. Armour was a form of clothing and its shape and decoration closely mirror men's fashions over time. Unlike 16th century clothing, armour survives and retains its shape. \n\nThese lames have been hammered into shape under heat with variously-shaped tools. The elongated s-shapes mimic the fashion of the early 16th century for slashing outer garments and pulling through the rich fabrics from underneath.\n\nThe decorative techniques that enabled armour to keep abreast of contemporary fashion were acid-etching, gilding and bluing. Etching on armour is like embroidery on cloth. Acid-etching creates a characteristic two-dimensional surface decoration to contrast with plainer areas of polished metal. It was used particularly for decorating items that require strength or may be subjected to hard or heavy usage, such as jewel and document caskets and locks and keys. An already-formed object is coated with an acid-resistant substance such as wax, into which a pattern is engraved free-hand, exposing the metal underneath. The metal is then immersed in a solution of hydrochloric or nitric acid and water until its exposed areas have been eaten away. The wax is then removed to reveal the pattern. Gilding or blackening might be added to accentuate the design. The technique creates a shallow relief making it possible to create highly decorated functional steel objects without compromising the structural integrity of the metal.\n\nThe noblemen who commissioned the best armours were the fashion leaders of their day. They were the chief beneficiaries of the sumptuary laws that regulated the cuts, shapes, materials and decoration of clothing according to status. With their position as noblemen however, came an obligation to present themselves in the most expensive and up-to-date manner. The exaggerations and distortions it imposed on natural physiology flexed and contracted with notions of ideal male body-shape.\n\nSurviving armours offer a vivid glimpse into the world of courtly loyalty, entertainment and rivalry in Renaissance Europe. Decorated with bands of etching, blued and gilt, matched with richly coloured silks and velvets, with dyed ostrich feathers sprouting from the helmet, on a horse armed to match, these extraordinary armours turned their owners into works of art.","briefDescription":"Five lames of armour, steel with etched and gilt decoration, Innsbruck or Augsburg, ca. 1515, formerly in the Radziwill armoury at Nieswiez in Poland.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Angus Patterson, 'Fashion and Armour in Renaissance Europe: Proud Lookes and Brave Attire', V&A Publishing, 2009"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"'Armored Skirt (Base), ca. 1510-15, Attributed to Konrad Seusenhofer, Austrian', MMA 14.25.790, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22285?ft=14.25.790&offset=0&rpp=40&pos=1"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Thomas, Bruno, and Ortwin Gamber. Die Innsbrucker Plattnerkunst. Innsbruck: Tyrolia Verlag, 1954. no. 65, ill."}],"production":"These 5 lames are articulated plates that once formed part of two armoured sleeves.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.600D-1927","M.600C-1927","M.600B-1927","M.600A-1927","M.600-1927"],"accessionNumberNum":"600","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1927,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-03","recordCreationDate":"2004-04-07","availableToBook":true}}