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Sculpture in Steel: A MILANESE RENAISSANCE BARBUTE

The helmet Douglass wanted so badly has now been presented to the Museum by Mrs. Douglass, in memory of her husband. It is a masterpiece of Renaissance metalwork, a fine example of formal beauty resulting from functional efficiency. For although it was designed with an eye both to beauty and utility, the principal aim of the ar- morer was to protect the wearer from injury. The contour follows the lines of the head, protecting the cranium and the sides of the face and neck, and. | Sculpture in Steel A MILANESE RENAISSANCE BARBUTE by STEPHEN V. GRANCSAY Curator of Arms and Armor In 1928 George A. Douglass was negotiating eagerly for an important addition to his collection of medieval and Renaissance arms and armor. Both Mr. and Mrs. Douglass had been frequent visitors to the Museum for many years and here Mr. Douglass came to know Bashford Dean the first Curator of Arms and Armor with the inevitable result that he developed a strong interest in the subject. Douglass was now in pursuit of an unusually attractive Milanese helmet of a type called a barbute Figure 1 . It was one of the gems in the collection of Baron Charles Alexander de Cosson who like Dean was a leading scholar in the field. De Cosson had formed several collections over a long period as an antiquary and at this time he was engaged in making arrangements for his third sale at Christie s in London. He was therefore reluctant to let the helmet go. You will easily understand he wrote to Douglass that I cannot sell one of my most important pieces separately before the sale without preju- I. Barhute with marks of the armorer Jacobo da Canobbio detto Bichignola and of Venice. Italian Milan about 1470. Height IIH inches. Weight pounds 4 ounces. Thickness of howl .045-.125 inch. Gift of Mrs. George A. Douglass in memory of her husband 60.151 The Metropolitan Museum of Art is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize preserve and extend access to The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin www.jstor.org dice to its success. Nevertheless like the true collector he was Douglass persisted in his negotiations for the helmet and finally de Cosson gave in. I am very glad that you should possess my fine barbute he wrote accepting Douglass s offer for you evidently thoroughly appreciate its beauty. De Cosson had acquired the helmet from Professor Luigi Grassi of Florence who in turn had bought it with seven other barbutes from Count Gino di Cittadella who had a collection in the Villa Saonara near Padua.