Italian mannerist armor. (Report from Europe).(Musee Rath, Geneva, Switzerland)(Brief Article)

Armor in sixteenth-century Europe reached an apogee of craftsmanship, and Milan became one of the most important centers for the production of luxury armor. The combination of design and the quality of the metalsmith's work meant that armor became, in effect, a work of art. Indeed, much of this armor was intended chiefly for ceremonial wear and was inlaid with gold and silver to emphasize its luxury and beauty.

Armor reflected the Renaissance idealization of the antique, with decorative motifs taken from classical mythology and ancient history. When mannerism dominated, there was also an emphasis on decoration inspired by animals, plants, and other themes that lent themselves to the elongation and distortion then prevalent.

The ...