This outstanding armour (c.1525 - c.1530) represents the pinnacle of the armourer’s art achieved during the German Renaissance. Despite its rich etching and gilding, this is an armour for war. It may have been made for Ferdinand, younger brother of the Emperor Charles V, who at the age of 23 became King of Bohemia and Hungary. It is possible that this armour was a gift from the Emperor marking this important moment in his brother’s life. It certainly conjures the image of what a king claimed to be - the glittering, invulnerable wielder of divine power on Earth.

This armour exemplifies the great work of master armourer Kolman Helmschmid (1470-1532) with its perfect marriage of technical functionality and aesthetic sophistication.

One of the finest examples of the use of acid etching by Daniel Hopfer (1470-1536), this magnificent armour can be found in the Wallace Collection’s European Armoury II.

Read more about this armour on our search the collection page here.