Germany, late 15th Century / c. 1475–1500
Gothic Backplate
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Gothic Backplate as arms and armor (Germany, late 15th Century · c. 1475–1500).
This armor would have been polished mirror bright and been a spectacular sight in the sunlight.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as steel, modern leather straps.
The museum's collection notes: Over time the increasing effectiveness of the crossbow and longbow made steel plates necessary for protection. Around 1400 a knight was protected almost entirely by plate armor. The elements shown here (backplate and fan-shaped pauldrons), with their sculptural line, illustrate the beauty of plate armor from the Gothic age.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtGothic BackplateOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.