Armor of Henry II, King of France by Jean Cousin le Vieux - ca. 1555 - 187.96 cm, 24.20 kg Metropolitan Museum of Art Armor of Henry II, King of France by Jean Cousin le Vieux - ca. 1555 - 187.96 cm, 24.20 kg Metropolitan Museum of Art

Armor of Henry II, King of France

Steel, gold, silver, leather, textile • 187.96 cm, 24.20 kg
  • Jean Cousin le Vieux - 1500 - before 1593 Jean Cousin le Vieux ca. 1555

You may not expect something like this to be presented in DailyArt. But look how beautiful this armor is!

This is one of the most elaborate and complete French parade armors. The surfaces are covered by dense foliate scrolls inhabited by human figures and a variety of fabulous creatures that derive from the Italian grotesque. The decoration includes, at the center of the breast, a Roman warrior receiving tribute of arms from two kneeling females and, on the shoulders, Apollo chasing the nymph Daphne (front) and Apollo with the slain monster Python (back). The crescent moon, one of the badges of Henry II (who reigned from 1547 to 1559), appears in several places.

Twenty original design drawings for this armor survive. One was made by Jean Cousin the Elder; the rest are by either Étienne Delaune or Baptiste Pellerin.

There are many connections between armoury and art - read about one of the most renown Caravaggio's paintings created on a shield.