Twee sierhelmen 1718 - 1725

These two ornamental helmets were made by Honoré Blanc as a detailed pen drawing. The elaborate flourishes and embellishments suggest a Baroque sensibility, when even instruments of war became opportunities for abundant surface decoration. But it is important to note that these are not designs *for* helmets, but *of* helmets. Blanc was an engraver, a highly skilled profession that demands both manual dexterity and close attention to detail. The cross-hatched shading gives the helmets volume and weight, while the linear quality of the drawing, with all its intricate detail, suggests the laborious process involved. Consider this drawing not as a mere depiction, but as a crafted object in its own right. The helmets themselves may have been forged in fire, hammered and polished, but Blanc’s image is its own form of intricate metalwork. It is a reminder that skill can be manifested in multiple ways, from the battlefield to the engraver’s bench.