The Renaissance in Italy was marked by a renewed interest in the ancient heritage. This affected not only art, architecture and literature, but also military affairs. One of the striking manifestations of this trend was the design of armor in the all'antica style. A masterpiece of this kind is the Italian sallet helmet, known as the "lion-headed", dating from 1475-1480.
The sallet is a helmet whose shape resembles both a helmet and a hat. The peculiarity of this exhibit from the Metropolitan Museum collection is the decoration in the form of a gilded lion's face with an open mouth, minted from a sheet of copper. But why a lion?
Most likely, the image of the helmet is a direct reference to the mythological hero Hercules, who wore the skin of the Nemean lion as a cloak, with the head of the beast as a headdress.
The lion, as a symbol of strength, valor and invincibility, was a popular motif in the art and culture of the Renaissance. Inspired by ancient myths, Italian masters sought to embody the ideas of ancient heroism in armor, making it not only protection, but also a work of art.
The lion-headed sallet is made in mixed media. The base of the helmet is a steel helmet, to which the master carefully attached a chased copper element depicting a lion's muzzle. To create an impressive appearance, the copper was gilded.
The simplicity of the design emphasizes the skill of Italian armorers, who managed to combine functionality with aesthetics.
The helmet, stored in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, is considered one of the first surviving examples of ceremonial armor in the all'antica style. Such armor was not intended for combat, but for ceremonies, tournaments or processions, serving as a symbol of the status of its owner.
The Lionhead Sallet demonstrates the skill of the armorers of that era, who were able to transform ordinary armor into unique artistic objects.
Source:
metmuseum.org
megacurioso.com.br
heritage-print.com
