Sallet 1455 - 1505

Curator: Before us we have a Sallet, a helmet crafted from metal, dating back to the late 15th or early 16th century. It’s currently part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: The thing about it is… there's a strange poetry in something designed to deflect blows being so delicately shaped. It almost looks like a flower, a lethal, metallic bloom. Curator: Right, and that's where we see the fusion of functionality and artistry. The production of these helmets would have been very laborious, requiring skilled artisans to work the metal into the desired form, while also conforming to the desires of patrons. How did this craftsmanship reflect on social hierarchy? Editor: A knight wouldn’t be a knight without it, right? It makes me think about the weight of expectations these things carry, literally and metaphorically. That polished surface would reflect not just the light, but the owner's status, their hopes. I can almost see their breath clouding the metal as they waited, scared or pumped with adrenaline. Curator: And the fact that this object has survived, representing both a unique design of its period, while also hinting at some social function is significant. Armor like this speaks to Medieval social organization; both artistic value and utilitarian value exist in symbiotic balance. Editor: Do you ever wonder about the person who wore this? I picture them at a feast, perhaps, or preparing for battle. Curator: Thinking about how the artisan conceived of and forged this helm gives you context for everything that followed. Editor: True! Imagining the person that worked with the material allows me to reflect on the time embedded in that art.