The Renaissance revival of ancient armour

The imitation of ancient armour which began during the Italian Renaissance was not just a theatrical disguise but also reflects a new human ideal. Imitation of classical antiquity was already presented as a desirable objective by the Florentine statesman and humanist Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444) in his "De Militia". As prototypes and superlative embodiments of the ideals of virtue he offered his readers a number of ancient heroes - Metellus, Valerius Publicus, Horatius Cochles and Scipio.

Through the inherent symbolism of armour, with its allusions to ancient heroes, the wearer of armour in the antique style not only became himself a virtous hero but referred back to the Roman Empire. At festivals and courtly diversions, the court could create a new order in which play was equated with art and "the divine act of creation". With playful dexterity, the Italian courts and their emulators north of the Alps built up a fantastic, idealised world to which one could withdraw by means of the masquerade.

Antique-style armour is like an element in a grandiloquent depiction of the individual, an object of fantasy, and as such can be far removed from the genuine article. The main prototype is the Graeco-Roman muscled quirass as depicted in statues of Roman emperors and generals in armour.

In 1546 Bartolomeo Campi translated this ideal into a suit of costume armour "alla romana". In spite of this express ideal, few of the antique-style suits of armour follow the nude contours of the male body as closely as the Graeco-Roman original. Another example of this kind is a breastplate in Paris, made to resemble a nude male torso.

The second half of the 16th century brought a transformation of antique-style parade armour. In addition to its simplified form, consisting solely of a burgonet and a round shield, the new fashion deviates from Roman body armour, relating instead to the technical design of contemporary armour.

The intended illusion of antique armour is evoked, no longer by the shape of the muscled armour of the ancient world but by classical scenes in the décor for the different pieces of armour elevates and transforms the wearer. Antique-style armour becomes a mirror of the notions and ideals of the age, which were derived just as much from the Biblical world as from Greek and Roman mythology. Elaborate compositions, often enigmatic to us today, comprising scenes, famous personalities, heroes, allegories and fabulous beasts fill out the surface of the armour. In this way parade armour came to serve as much more extensive purpose than that of purely military protection. It was converted into a witticism in the service of propaganda.