The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Bishop's Mantle (Cape)

Bishop's Mantle (Cape)

c. 1520–30
(German or Swiss?)
riveted steel (some brass) rings; reinforced collar
Overall (display): 55.9 x 53.3 x 27.9 cm (22 x 21 x 11 in.); Laid flat: 95.8 cm (37 11/16 in.); Diameter: 1 cm (3/8 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1921.1256
Location: 210A Armor Court

Did You Know?

In 805 an edict of Charlemagne established a link between the right to own land and the obligation to own a chainmail shirt.

Description

Chain mail capes known as "bishop's mantles" were popular with German mercenary foot soldiers between about 1500 and 1550. They were often worn as the only element of armor.
  • Clemens; Munich; Purch
    1921
    (Sale: American Art Association, New York, NY, November 1921, cat. #268)
    1921-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • American Art Association. An Important Collection of Ancient Arms and Armor. 1921. cat. 268
    Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924. Mentioned: p 81, D15; Reproduced: Plate XVIII, D15 archive.org
    Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998. p. 40
    Troso, Mario. Italia! Italia! 1526-1530: la prima guerra d'indipendenza italiana : con gli assedi di Milano, Napoli, Firenze, il sacco di Roma e le battaglie di Capo d'Orso e Gavinana. Parma: E. Albertelli, 2001. p. 160, F36a
    Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007. cat. no. 91, p. 186
  • Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
  • {{cite web|title=Bishop's Mantle (Cape)|url=false|author=|year=c. 1520–30|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1921.1256