The Meaning of Armor

Armor meant a great deal to the people whose bodies it protected in combat. But the meaning of armor in medieval and Renaissance Europe extended well beyond the utilitarian. Armor transformed the body of the wearer and shaped his image as a person. Armor's power to forge bonds among people, articulate community, and connect to ideas was reflected across the fine arts. This course, drawing on objects in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will examine the meaning of armor throughout history, including issues of convention, originality, and quality, as well as the shifting historical circumstances for armor's appreciation, preservation, and study.