Fit For a King

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's all-gilt battle and tournament armor of King Henry VIII of England, with its exquisite overall etched decoration, is among the most spectacular ever produced. Made in the royal armor workshop at Greenwich, London, which was founded by Henry VIII in 1515, this armor forms the centerpiece of the museum's renowned collection of Greenwich armors, the most important outside Britain. Focusing on The Met's six complete armors and two single elements of armor made for the king and distinguished nobles in the Tudor and Stuart courts, this book is an authoritative study of the armor produced at Greenwich and features many of the workshop's finest extant examples. Leading scholars provide the definitive history of the workshop, including the development, manufacture, and embellishment of Greenwich armor from 1515 to 1642. In this resplendent volume, new photography illuminates the highest level of artistry and sophisticated engineering of the time.