Artwork preview

Knee Defense (Poleyn)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image shows a piece of silver metal armor, specifically a knee defense also known as a poleyn. The knee defense has a roughly textured surface with visible dark spots and discoloration. It consists of two main parts that are connected in the middle, with the left part being larger and more curved than the right. The two parts are joined by two rivets, one above the other. The piece is shaped to fit over a knee, with one end tapering to a point. The background of the image is plain light gray. The knee defense appears to be an old or historical piece.

Artwork details

Date:
ca. 1430–40
Medium:
Steel
Culture:
Italian
Dimensions:
599 × 428 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette