Artwork Page for Demi-Chanfron

Details / Information for Demi-Chanfron

Demi-Chanfron

c. 1550

Germany, Augsburg

Medium
steel, etched and gilded; leather
Measurements
Overall: 6.8 x 24.5 cm (2 11/16 x 9 5/8 in.)
Weight: 810 g (1.79 lbs.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1526
Public Domain
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Location
210A Armor Court
Print
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Did You Know?

A knight depended on his horse as both a weapon and a means of defense, and thus went to great lengths to care for and protect his charger.

Description

The chanfron, head defense for a horse, was introduced in the 1300s. It included two side pieces to protect the cheeks. In the 16th and 17th centuries, when armor failed to protect against firearms, it assumed greater importance as ornament. For this reason the demi (or half) chanfron covered the forehead of the horse but extended, like this one, only halfway down the nose. The Habsburg Spanish Court was served by the armorers of Augsburg in the 16th century. This impressively decorated piece, by tradition, is said to have once belonged to Philip II of Spain (1527–1598).
A polished steel horse chanfron features bands of gold etching. Two pointed ear guards crown the top, flanking a trio of small holes, while deep semicircular cutouts on the sides accommodate eyes. Rows of brass studs line the outer borders. A vertical gold band runs down the center, intersected by a small brass plume tube and a fluted metal rosette. Intricate scrolling patterns fill the golden strips, embellishing the polished surface.

Demi-Chanfron

c. 1550

Germany, Augsburg

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