Armored Skirt (Base) 1485 - 1540

This is an armored skirt base made by Konrad Seusenhofer, a master armorer active in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Armor, of course, was a very gendered technology, meant to protect men in battle, asserting ideals of masculinity, strength, and power. However, the form of this skirt base, with its fluted design, also suggests the fashionable dress of the time. As such, we might consider how armor could also be a medium for expressing status and wealth. The skirt transforms the wearer, becoming an imposing figure, blending the lines between protection, performance, and identity. Think about the weight of this object, over 12 pounds! This base makes one consider the lived experience of those who wore such armor and the social structures that supported their dominance. This work highlights the intersections of gender, power, and identity in the visual culture of the late Middle Ages.