Helmschmied

The Helmschmied family of Augsburg were one of late medieval Europe's foremost families of armourers. Their name, sometimes also spelled Helmschmid, translates to helmet smith. The family's most prominent members were Lorenz Helmschmied (floruit 1467-1515), Kolman Helmschmied (1471–1532) and Desiderius Kolman Helmschmied (1513–1579).[1][2]

Helmschmied
Helmschmid
Kolman Helmschmied and Agnes Breu. Wedding portrait by Jörg Breu the Elder.
Country
Place of originAugsburg
Foundedc. 1475
Members
Lorenz Helmschmied
Kolman Helmschmied
Desiderius Kolman Helmschmied
Dissolutionc. 1600

The Helmschmieds made armour for the high nobility of the Holy Roman Empire, including multiple emperors, for rulers of the Spanish Empire, for the archdukes of Austria and Tyrol, as well as other wealthy clients.[1] They competed for fame and noble patronage with the other two most prominent late 15th century European armour smith families, the Seusenhofers of Innsbruck (Austria) and the Missaglias of Milan.

Many works that the Helmschmieds made for Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Philip II of Spain are preserved in the Royal Armoury of Madrid, and many of their other works are kept in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

  • Sallet helmet made for Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I
    Sallet helmet made for Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I
  • Armour made for Maximillian I
    Armour made for Maximillian I
  • Horse racing armour made for Maximillian I
    Horse racing armour made for Maximillian I
  • Helmet made for a young boy
    Helmet made for a young boy
  • Pair of tassets made for Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
    Pair of tassets made for Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
  • Burgonet helmet
    Burgonet helmet
  • William the Silent (William of Orange) wearing Helmschmied armour
    William the Silent (William of Orange) wearing Helmschmied armour
  • Armour made for Archduke Ferdinand I, who would later become Holy Roman Emperor
    Armour made for Archduke Ferdinand I, who would later become Holy Roman Emperor

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helmschmied armour.
  1. Breiding, Dirk H. (October 2002). "Famous Makers and European Centers of Arms and Armor Production". Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  2. "Helmschmied, Plattnerfamilie". Stadtarchiv Augsburg. Stadtarchiv Augsburg. Retrieved 2014-11-11.

Further reading
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.