North Italy, 16th century / c. 1575
Armor for Man and Horse with Völs-Colonna Arms
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Armor for Man and Horse with Völs-Colonna Arms as arms and armor (North Italy, 16th century · c. 1575).
The Vols-Colonna family crest is found seven times in prominent locations on this armor set for horse and rider.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as steel.
The museum's collection notes: A knight depended on his horse both as a weapon and a means of defense. He therefore had to take great care to protect his charger. From the 1100s on, knights first covered their steeds in trappings of fabric and later of mail. By around 1400, full steel plate armor for horses was complete. It is possible that this armor made for both man and horse originally belonged to a "garniture," an armor with multiple customized exchange elements that could convert the basic suit to various field and sporting uses. With different pieces of the garniture attached, this suit could have been worn either in battle or in various tournament games. The total
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtArmor for Man and Horse with Völs-Colonna ArmsOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.