The medallions on either side of the bowl are embossed with scenes from Greek mythology depicting the Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths, a popular subject in Renaissance art. The compositions derive in part from design by Rosso Fiorentino (1494–1540), one of the Italian artists called to Fontainebleau to work for the French court.
Probably made for Henry II of France (reigned 1547–59), the helmet passed as a diplomatic gift to the Medici court in Florence later in the sixteenth century. It is illustrated in a portrait of Cosimo II de' Medici (1590–1621), grand duke of Tuscany, in the Metropolitan Museum's collection (acc. no. 22.150).
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04.3.217: Ferdinand I de Medici, Florence (1587–d. 1609; by descent in the Medici armory through the Grand Dukes of Tuscany to Peter Leopold); Peter Leopold of Habsburg Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Florence (1773–76; sale of Grand ducal armory, Florence, August 1776); Philip James de Loutherbourg, London (until d. 1812); [Thomas Gwennap Sr., London, by 1817–33, Ancient Armour and Implements of War sale, George Robins, London, June 10–11, 1833, no. 152]; Comte Auguste de Colbert, Château d’Orsonville, Yvelines, France (by 1836–after 1875); [Bachereau, Paris, 1890, sold for 80,000 francs, to Dino]; Charles Maurice Camille de Talleyrand Périgord, Duc de Dino, Paris (1890–1904; sold to MMA). 22.140: Ferdinand I de Medici, Florence (1587–d. 1609; by descent in the Medici armory through the Grand Dukes of Tuscany to Peter Leopold); Peter Leopold of Habsburg Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Florence (1773–76; sale of Grand ducal armory, Florence, August 1776); Philip James de Loutherbourg, London (until d. 1812); [Thomas Gwennap Sr., London, by 1817–33, Ancient Armour and Implements of War sale, George Robins, London, June 10–11, 1833, no. 152]; Frederick Peter Sequier, London (d. 1902; his estate sale, Christie, Manson, and Woods, London, February 20, 1903, no. 121 for £315 to Sir Guy Francis Laking for Newall); [Philibert Bachereau, Paris,1891; sold to Duc de Dino for Fr 80,000]; William Newall, London (1903–1922; his estate sale, Christie, Manson, & Woods, London, June 27, 1922, no. 179, to MMA).Art market, Europe (1816–1833; Sale, Ancient armour and implements of war of almost every nation, all the specimens formerly exhibited in the Gothic Hall, Pall Mall..., London, June 10–11, 1833, no. 152); buffe: Frederick Peter Sequier, London (d. 1902; his estate sale, Christie, Manson, and Woods, London, February 20, 1903, no. 121 for £315 to Sir Guy Francis Laking for Newall); [Philibert Bachereau, Paris,1891; sold to Duc de Dino for Fr 80,000]; William Newall, London (1903–1922; his estate sale, Christie, Manson, & Woods, London, June 27, 1922, no. 179, to MMA).
London. Gothic Hall, Pall Mall. "A Grand Collection of Antient Arms and Armour," 1819, no. 119 (04.3.217).
Paris. Palais de la Présidence du Corps Législatif. "Notice Sommaire des Objets d'Art exposées dans le Palais de la Présidence du Corps Législatif," April 23, 1874–1874.
Blois, France. Ville de Blois. "Exposition Rétrospective et Moderne," 1875, no. 2462 (helmet, 04.3.217).
Florence. Palazzina di Annalena. "XVI Esposizione Europea," March 15–June 15, 1980.
Chicago. Art Institute of Chicago. "The Medici, Michelangelo, and the Art of Late Renaissance Florence," November 9, 2002–February 2, 2003, no. 135.
Detroit. Detroit Institute of Arts. "The Medici, Michelangelo, and the Art of Late Renaissance Florence," March 16–June 8, 2003, no. 135.
Paris. Musée de l'Armée. "Sous L'Égide de Mars: Armures des Princes d'Europe," March 16–June 26, 2011, no. 21.
Gothic Hall. Catalogue of a Splendid Collection of Military Antiquities, Comprising the Most Rare and Interesting Specimens of Arms and Armour from the Norman Conquest to the Latest Periods. 4th ed. London, 1819. p. 19, no. 119 (possibly this helmet, described as "An elegant embossed Helmet...").
Gothic Hall (London, England) and Christie, Manson & Woods. A Catalogue of the Third and Last Part of the Truly Magnificent Collection of Ancient Armour and Arms of Various Periods and Almost of Every Nation, with Rare and Costly Weapons. London, April 6–7, 1821. no. 229.
Royal Armoury. Royal Armoury, Hay-Market: Catalogue. London: J. Davy & Sons, September 1821.
Collas, Achille, Paul Delaroche, Louis-Pierre Henriquel-Dupont, Charles Lenormant, and V. Goupil. "Recueil Général de Bas-Reliefs et d'Ornemens." Trésor De Numismatique Et De Glyptique, Ou Recueil Général De Médailles, Monnaies, Pierres Gravées, Bas-Reliefs, Etc: Tant Anciens Que Modernes, Les Plus Intéressants Sous Le Rapport De L'art Et De L'histoire (1836), no. 3, pl. XXIV.
Jolimont, François Gabriel Théodore Busset de, Jacques Gagné, and Caroline Naudet. Recueil d'objets d'art et de curiosités. Paris: C. Naudet, 1836–38. pl. 23.
Asselineau, Léon-Auguste. Armes Et Armures Du Moyen Age Et De La Renaissance: Choix Et Reproduction Des Plus Remarquables Spécimens Conservés Dans Les Principaux Musées Et Cabinets De l'Europe. Paris: A. Lévy, 1864. pl. 44.
Lièvre, Edouard. Les Collections Célèbres D'œuvres D'art: Dessinées Et Gravées D'après Les Originaux. Paris: Goupil & cie, 1866. pl. 53.
Société de Protection des Alsaciens et Lorrains Demeurés Français. Notice Sommaire Des Objets D'art: Exposés Dans Le Palais De La Présidence Du Corps Législatif, Le 23 Avr. 1874, Au Profit Des Alsaciens-Lorrains En Algérie. Paris: J. Glaye, 1874. p. 35, vitrine 17.
Ville de Blois. Exposition Rétrospective et Moderne. Catalogue des Objets d'Art Exposés au Château de Blois dans les Salles du Palais de Gaston d'Orléans. Blois, 1875. p. 130, no. 2462 (described as "Casque en fer repoussé, doré, travail italien du XVIe s...").
Véron, Eugène, Charles H. Tardieu, Emile Molinier, and Paul Leroi. L'Art (1877), p. 156, ill.
Maze-Sencier, Alphonse. Le Livre Des Collectionneurs. Paris: Librairie Renouard, 1885. p. 709.
Alexandre, Arsène, and Roger Marx. Histoire De L'art Décoratif Du Xvie Siècle Á Nos Jours. Paris: Renouard, 1891. fig. 290.
Maindron, M. "La Collection d'Armes du Musée du Louvre." Gazette Des Beaux-Arts (1891), p. 474 (this helmet referred to as "Une seule pièce peut être comparée à l'armure de Henri II...").
Cosson, Charles Alexander. Le Cabinet d'Armes de Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Duc de Dino. Paris: E. Rouveyre, 1901. pp. 32–34, no. B.29, pl. 10.
Christie, Manson & Woods. The Collection of Old French Decorative Objects and Furniture. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, February 20, 1903. no. 121 (the buffe of this helmet).
Dean, Bashford, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Catalogue of European Arms and Armor. Hand-book (Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)), Vol. 15. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1905. fig. 52.
Laking, Guy Francis, Sir. "The Romance of Some Pieces of Armour." The Art-Journal (1907), p. 33, ill.
Dean, Bashford. Handbook of Arms and Armor : European and Oriental, Including the William H. Riggs Collection, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: Gilliss Press, January 1915. p. 136, pl. XXXIV.
Dean, Bashford. Notes on Arms and Armor. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1916. p. 118, ill. (04.3.217).
Laking, Guy Francis, Charles A. de Cosson, and Francis Henry Cripps-Day. A Record of European Armour and Arms Through Seven Centuries. Vol. IV. London: G. Bell and Sons, 1920–1922. pp. 182–89, figs. 1264–65.
Dean, Bashford. Handbook of Arms and Armor : European and Oriental, Including the William H. Riggs Collection, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 3rd ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, April 1921. pl. XXXIV.
Christie, Manson & Woods. Newall Collection of Objects of Art Chiefly of the Renaissance Period. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, June 27–29, 1922. no. 179 (buffe).
Dean, Bashford. "Ancient Armor Lost and Found: A Missing Visor Returns." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (November 1922), pp. 237–39, ill.
The New York Herald. "Fate Rejoins the Separated Parts of Treasuries of Art." The New York Herald (August 5, 1923), p. 6 (?), ill.
Dean, Bashford, and Robert T. Nichol. Handbook of Arms and Armor : European and Oriental, edited by Stephen V. Grancsay. 4th ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 1930. pp. 133, 136–37, 309, fig. 87–88.
Grancsay, Stephen V. Historical Armor: A Picture Book. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1944. p. 5, fig. 2.
Grancsay, Stephen V. Historical Armor: A Picture Book. 2nd ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1946. p. 5, fig. 2.
Grancsay, Stephen V. Historical Armor: A Picture Book. 3rd ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1951. p. 5, fig. 2.
Grancsay, Stephen V. "The Armor of Henry II of France from the Louvre Museum." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (October 1952), pp. 68–80, ill.
Grancsay, Stephen V. "The New Galleries of European Arms and Armor." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (May 1956), pp. 211, 222, ill.
Grancsay, Stephen V. Historical Armor: A Picture Book. 4th ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1957. p. 5, fig. 2.
Metropolitan Museum of Art. Guide to the Collections: Arms and Armor. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1962. fig. 20.
Thomas, Bruno. "Die Münchner Waffenvorzeichnungen des Etienne Delaune und die Prunkschilde Heinrichs II. von Frankreich." Jahrbuch Der Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen in Wien (1962), pp. 145–46, fig. 125.
Thomas, Bruno, Ortwin Gamber, and Hans Schedelmann. Die schönsten Waffen und Rüstungen aus europäischen und amerikanischen Sammlungen. Heidelberg; Munich: Keysersche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1963. no. 42, ill.
Boccia, Lionello G., and Bruno Thomas. Armi storiche del Museo Nazionale di Firenze, Palazzo del Bargello, restaurate dall'aiuto austriaco per Firenze. Florence: Tipografia D. Lumini, 1971. pp. 39, 44, figs. H, L.
Blair, Claude. Arms, Armour and Base-Metalwork: The James A. De Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor. Fribourg: Office du Livre, 1974. pp. 48–52.
Firenze e la Toscana dei Medici nell'Europa del Cinquecento and Paola Barocchi. Palazzo Vecchio: Committenza E Collezionismo Medicei. Florence: Edizioni Medicee, 1980. p. 402 (appendix entry K).
Boccia, Lionello G. "Gli Inventari Secenteschi delle Armerie Medicee: Appunti Lessacali sull'Armamento Difensivo." In Convegno Nazionale Sui Lessica Tecnici Del Sei E Settecento, Pisa, Scuola Normale Superiore, 1–3 Dicembre 1980: Contributi. Florence: Eurografica S.p.A., 1980. pp. 343–44 (Medici inventory reference for this helmet and buffe cited).
Nickel, Helmut. "Arms and Armor from the Permanent Collection." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (Summer 1991), pp. 25, 64, ill.
Luchinat, Cristina Acidini, and Maria Sframeli. Magnificenza Alla Corte Dei Medici: Arte a Firenze Alla Fine Del Cinquecento. Milan: Electa, 1997. pp. 396–98 (Medici armor discussed).
Scalini, Mario. "Pracht und Geschichte - Die kunsthandwerklichen Sammlungsobjekte." In Die Pracht der Medici: Florenz und Europa, edited by Cristina Acidini Luchinat, and Mario Scalini. Vol. 1. Vienna: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, 1998.
Luchinat, Cristina Acidini, Mario Scalini, Marco Chiarini, Lucia Minunno, Maria Antonia Rinaldi, Thierry Crépin-Leblond, and Giovanna Damiani. Splendore Dei Medici: Firenze E l'Europa. Firenze: Octavo, 1999. p. 45, ill.
Luchinat, Cristina Acidini. The Medici, Michelangelo, and the Art of Late Renaissance Florence. New Haven: Yale University Press in association with the Detroit Institute of Arts, 2002. pp. 275, 277, no. 135, ill.
Renaudeau, Olivier, Jean-Pierre Reverseau, Musée de l'Armée, and Jean-Paul Sage-Frénay. Sous l'Égide de Mars: Armures des Princes d'Europe. Paris: Éditions Nicolas Chaudun, 2010. pp. 17, 105, 147, 151, 164–67, 290, no. 21, ill.
Pyhrr, Stuart W. "Of Arms and Men: Arms and Armor at the Metropolitan, 1912–2012." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (Summer 2012), pp. 8–9, fig. 7.
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