Showcase 23. Full suit of ceremonial armour for rider and horse

In the XVIth-XVIth centuries jousting competitions and tournaments, resembling theatrical performances, were very popular in Europe. During the festivals heavy armours served as ceremonial suits and were decorated with gilding or bluening, embossed and engraved images. Safety of the participants depended on the stamina and protection of his horse therefore a full sets of tournament armour for rider and a horse were developed.

The Armoury collection preserved a work by the famous Nuremberg metalworker Kunz Lochner. His full suit of ceremonial armour for rider and horse was presented by King Stephan Bathory of Poland to Tsar Fyodor, the son of Ivan the Terrible, in 1584. It is adorned with raised medallions of chased mythological figures and what was once gilt ornament. Apart from the Armoury, Kunz Lochner's artworks can be found in museums of Stockholm, Dresden, Madrid, Paris and Berlin.