Chanfron in Maximilian Style

c. 1510

Germany, Nuremberg (?), early 16th Century

Medium

steel

Measurements

Overall: 59.2 x 33.2 x 10.1 cm (23 5/16 x 13 1/16 x 4 in.)
Weight: 1.54 kg (3.4 lbs.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1845

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Location

210A Armor Court

Did You Know?

Nuremberg was a chief armor production center and gained international renown; products from here were exported throughout Europe.

Description

The chanfron was the primary element that protected and decorated a horse's forehead and face. It consisted of a plate of steel contoured to the horse's head from its ears to its nostrils. Normally, two holes were cut at each side of the forehead for the ears, and earpieces were sometimes riveted around their edges. This example, however, was forged in one piece. It belongs to the transitional period between the Gothic and the fluted armors introduced by Emperor Maximilian. The hinge at the top is for the attachment of the crest plate.