The tace is composed of a series of gilded bronze medallions, showing classic heads, masks, unicorns, and similar devices. From beneath these fall the tassets—long strap-like pieces of several laminæ each. Beneath these again is a brayette of steel mail.
“But nothing so enriches this graceful armour as the espaliers, composed of two large black masks in high relief, whose eyeballs, owing to the gold circle in which they are enclosed, have a singular expression. On the shoulders are beautiful damascened festoons fan-shaped, and underneath, springing from the mouths of each of the masks, another series of hanging laminas, smaller than those of the skirt or tassets, and also over fine mail.”
Lastly, the artist held to the compulsory classic nudeness, and limited the protection of the legs to short steel buskins, openworked, similar to the cothurnus which, according to Virgil, came up over the leg and was fastened with cords in front: these buskins have beautiful masks of satyrs in gilded bronze, and end in mail shoes with the toes outlined.
The figure has in its hand a small mutilated partisan of the Emperor’s time, with the emblems of Burgundy and the Pillars of Hercules engraved on the blade.
With the suit A114, above described, the work of Giacopo Filippo Negroli, the Duke of Mantua presented Charles with a casque and target by the same artificers. This was between the years 1533 and 1536. The casque, or helmet-morion (D1—plate 148A), is moulded in the likeness of a head covered with golden curls, and encircled over the brow with a laurel wreath. The large side-pieces, shaped to the oval of the face, are perforated for hearing. The beavor is in the form of a curly beard, the lips showing above it. The production reflects credit on the skill of the artificer, but is in bad taste. The target (D2—plate 148A), made to match the above, has a lion’s head and mane for boss, in high relief; the border is wide and very beautiful, and composed of medallions supported by griffins, and linked by scrolls and foliations.
The magnificent burgonet and target (D3 and 4), also believed to have been the property of the Emperor, are said to have been moulded from the designs of Giulio Romano. They bear no mark; and “Considering,” says Conde de Valencia, “the depth and clearness with which each figure and object is relieved; the masterly chiselling, so fine that it puts expression into the combatants’ faces; and the exquisite taste of the damascening, we are compelled to admit that the executor of the work must have been more a master of his own art than the designer, Giulio Romano, was of his” (plate 148B).
The helmet is forged in one piece, and follows the lines of the Bœotian casque. The design on the comb represents combats between Centaurs and Tritons for the possession of nymphs; on the sides, a combat between Romans and Carthaginians. A similar subject is shown on the shield, in the background being seen the city of Carthage as described by Livy. Allusion, of course, is intended to the expedition to Tunis. The border is admirably designed with wreaths, figures, scrolls, &c., and the busts of Roman worthies.
The helmet D5 and shield D6 are of unknown origin. They were probably the work of an Italian artificer of the sixteenth century. On one side of the casque Bacchus and Ariadne are represented in a car drawn by centaurs; on the other, Silenus on his ass, supported by Bacchus, and preceded by Maenads. The shield D6 is in seventeen pieces screwed together, and is beautifully chiselled and decorated. The boss is formed by a mask with draperies, gracefully gathered up and crowned by an elegant volute, the rich damascening of which contrasts well with the blackened face. The ground is divided into four ovals, on which are displayed scenes representing the Rapes of the Sabines, of Deianiera, and of Helen, and the Contest between the Centaurs and Lapithae. The border, among other decorations, has the busts of Cæsar, Aeolus, Hercules, and Theseus (plate 149).
Another Burgonet (D30), made for Charles by the Negrolis, forged in one piece and exquisitely damascened, has the comb moulded in the form of a recumbent warrior wearing a turban, his head pointing backwards towards the visor. The female figures, Fame and Victory, reclining on the brim of the helmet, grasp the warrior by the moustache. He seems to represent the Turkish Empire. On a shield above the visor is the inscription, SIC TVA INVICTE CÆSAR (plate 129).
The magnificent shield (plate 150A), designed by Giulio Romano, and presented to the Emperor by the Duke of Mantua (D63), is thus described in the Catalogue: