Germany, Saxony, 16th century / c. 1560–80
Helmet
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Helmet as arms and armor (Germany, Saxony, 16th century · c. 1560–80).
Jousting contestants wore armor and charged at each other full speed on horseback, attempting to dismount the other with a lance. Such equipment protected contestants from injury, much like the helmet worn by football players today.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as steel.
The museum's collection notes: This helmet was developed for the joust, a sporting combat of arms between two mounted contestants. This example shows the asymmetry of jousting armor. The participants rode along a wall-like barrier known as a "tilt" with their left sides facing. Consequently, armor on that side of the body tended to be thicker. The breath holes in the helmet were placed on the right side (farthest from an opponent's lance) to avoid injuries from splinters. The popularity of jousts and tournaments peaked around 1500 and required armor and other sporting equipment adapted for the endlessly varied games. By the reign of Emperor Maximilian I (1493–1519), there
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtHelmetOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.