The Age of Armor: Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum
June 23 to October 9, 2023 Jepson Center
From the warriors of ancient Greek legends, to the knights of the Middle Ages, to the superheroes of today’s popular culture, the idea of personal body armor has an enduring hold on the human imagination. Although armor is as old as human civilization and has been used in various forms in societies around the globe, full suits of articulated steel plates were made predominantly in Europe, and only for a brief time in the late Middle Ages and Renaissance period.
Curated from the Worcester Art Museum’s impressive Higgins Armory Collection, this exhibition explores the ways in which armor was used and transformed due to technological innovations and evolving styles of warfare from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. Visitors will discover the different and often surprising stories embedded in these powerful objects — many painstakingly engineered, elegantly designed, and treasured as the expression of their owners’ taste, sophistication, and prowess.
This exhibition was organized by The Worcester Art Museum and is presented by Telfair Museums.
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Workshops of Wolf and Peter von Speyer or Wolf Peppinghorn; Rennzeug (Armor for the “Joust of War”), about 1590-1600; steel, iron, leather, black paint, textile and horsehair stuffing; Worcester Art Museum, The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, 2014.1154
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Shaffron (Horse’s Head Armor) in the Maximilian Style, Southern German, about 1520; steel; Worcester Art Museum, The John Woodman Higgins Armor Collection, 2014.16
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"Maximilian" Field Armor, about 1525–1530; steel, iron, and leather with modern restorations; The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, 2014.111.
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Helmet, Close Helmet for the Foot Tourney, about 1590 steel (once blued) with etching and gilding, and brass; The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection, 2014.1113
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Nagasone Tojiro Mitsumasa Helmet; Helmet in the form of a Sea Conch Shell, 1618 iron with traces of lacquer, textiles; The Worcester Art Museum, The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Recommended Reading List
In collaboration with Georgia Library PINES (Public Information Network for Electronic Services), Telfair Museums has developed a recommended reading list featuring armor and medieval themed books.
The books will be available at participating libraries in the area.
*First in a series
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Mark Twain (1020L)
Art of War
Sun Tzu (1550L)
Beowulf (1070L)
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes (1480L)
Hild
Nicola Griffith
A Game of Thrones*
George R.R. Martin (830L)
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien (1000L, 860L)
Joan of Arc: A History
Helen Castor
Night Watch
Terry Pratchett (720L)
The Once and Future King*
T.H. White (1080L)
Igraine the Brave
Cornelia Funke (810L)
The Knight and the Dragon
Tomie de Paola (650L)
The Knight Owl
Christopher Denise
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe*
C.S. Lewis (940L)
Nobody Likes a Goblin
Ben Hatke (520L)
Once Upon a Tim
Stuart Gibbs (710L)
The Perfect Sword
Scott Goto (680L)
Prince & Knight
Daniel Haack
Princess Pulverizer: Grilled Cheese and Dragons*
Nancy Krulik (550L)
Redwall*
Brian Jacques (800L)
Major funding for Age of Armor and Telfair’s five-year exhibition plan provided by the Littlejohn Family Foundation.
Exhibition funding is provided by Inge Brasseler, Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Jepson Jr., and Dr. and Mrs. William T. Moore.
Annual Exhibition Support by Director’s Council Members: Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson, Anonymous, Mr. and Mrs. Dale C. Critz Jr., Mr. and Mrs. Dale C. Critz Sr., Bob Faircloth, Alice and Bob Jepson, Mr. and Mrs. Angus C. Littlejohn, Wilson Morris, Dave and Sylvaine Neises, Thomas V. and Susan G. Reilly, Cathy and Philip Solomons, Stephen D. Taylor, Don and Cindy Waters, Mrs. Cynthia Willett, Ms. Susan Willetts and Mr. Alan K. Pritz, Dr. Victor L. Andrews, Malcolm and Julia Butler, Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Coker, Jr., Jan and Lawrence Dorman, Dr. and Mrs. William T. Moore, Mr. C.B. Richardson, Carl and Barbara Sassano, Jacqueline and Ken Sirlin, Marti and Austin Sullivan, Gloria and Durwood Almkuist, Kerry and Lillian Breitbart, Leda Chong and Kevin Dewalt, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald J. Gantt, Lindsay and Brent Harlander, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Haynes III, Mr. and Mrs. Doug Johnston, Kelley and Josh Keller, Mrs. Robert O. Levitt, Linda and Tom McWhorter, Courtney and Jay Neely, Mr. and Mrs. J. Herbert Ogden, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. David E. Paddison, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Rabinowitz, Mr. David A. Rea and Ms. Noelle J. Gauthier, Mr. and Mrs. Steven J. Sayer, Ms. Swann Seiler, Mr. and Mrs. Alan Sheriff, and Randall and Valerie Stolt, Pamela L. and Peter S. Voss.
