Dirk H. Breiding
Department of Arms and Armor, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
October 2004
Like most manmade objects, armor was subject not only to technical advances but also to changes in taste as well as aesthetic and artistic expression within each period of its development. In broad outline, this can already be witnessed in the armor worn by warriors throughout the ancient world. In medieval and Renaissance Europe, especially from the fourteenth century onward, it is apparent that armor was strongly influenced by contemporary civilian costume according to current tastes and regional fashions (in some rare instances, armor could even influence civilian fashion). Such influences and fashions could change relatively quickly, and it is probably no exaggeration to argue that, to medieval and Renaissance minds, a concept similar to our understanding of “the ’50s,” “the ’60s,” and “the ’70s” for the taste of a particular age or decade would probably have been quite familiar. In addition to the influence civilian costume had on the general appearance of armor, such as form and outline, different tastes and fashions are also clearly recognizable in the decoration of armor. To some extent, finally, technical developments and constructional features could also be so confined to a certain region that they can be classified as a local or national style. The study of “fashion in armor” accordingly can provide scholars with valuable information for the dating and geographical identification of armor. The following texts will give a broad outline of fashion in European armor from the eleventh to the seventeenth century, including a selection of the most important developments as well as a number of lesser known trends.
Citation
Breiding, Dirk H. “Fashion in European Armor.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/afas/hd_afas.htm (October 2004)
Additional Essays by Dirk H. Breiding
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Techniques of Decoration on Arms and Armor.” (October 2003)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “The Decoration of Arms and Armor.” (October 2003)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Fashion in European Armor, 1000–1300.” (October 2004)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Fashion in European Armor, 1300–1400.” (October 2004)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Fashion in European Armor, 1400–1500.” (October 2004)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Fashion in European Armor, 1500–1600.” (October 2004)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Arms and Armor in Renaissance Europe.” (October 2002)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Fashion in European Armor, 1600–1700.” (October 2004)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Famous Makers of Arms and Armors and European Centers of Production.” (October 2002)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “The Decoration of European Armor.” (October 2003)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Arms and Armor—Common Misconceptions and Frequently Asked Questions.” (October 2004)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “Horse Armor in Europe.” (March 2010)
- Breiding, Dirk H.. “The Function of Armor in Medieval and Renaissance Europe.” (October 2002)
Related Essays
- The Decoration of Arms and Armor
- The Decoration of European Armor
- The Function of Armor in Medieval and Renaissance Europe
- Arms and Armor in Medieval Europe
- Arms and Armor in Renaissance Europe
- Arms and Armor—Common Misconceptions and Frequently Asked Questions
- Bashford Dean and the Development of Helmets and Body Armor during World War I
- The Crusades (1095–1291)
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- Fashion in European Armor, 1000–1300
- Fashion in European Armor, 1300–1400
- Fashion in European Armor, 1400–1500
- Fashion in European Armor, 1500–1600
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- Feudalism and Knights in Medieval Europe
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- The Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburgs, 1400–1600
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List of Rulers
Chronology
- Central Europe (including Germany), 1000–1400 A.D.
- Central Europe (including Germany), 1400–1600 A.D.
- Central Europe (including Germany), 1600–1800 A.D.
- Florence and Central Italy, 1400–1600 A.D.
- Great Britain and Ireland, 1400–1600 A.D.
- Great Britain and Ireland, 1600–1800 A.D.
- Iberian Peninsula, 1000–1400 A.D.
- Iberian Peninsula, 1600–1800 A.D.
- Italian Peninsula, 1000–1400 A.D.
- Rome and Southern Italy, 1400–1600 A.D.
- Venice and Northern Italy, 1400–1600 A.D.
- Venice and Northern Italy, 1600–1800 A.D.