New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-28
THE DINO COLLECTION.
arms and Armor at the etropolitas
MuSeum Of 4rt.

The manner IN which our forefathers turned
objects Of utility into works Of art receives in
teresting Illustration in the collection Of arms
and armor which has just been placed on ex-
hi0itien at the Metropolitan This collection,
formed by the Due de Dino and purchased by
the museum trustees out OF the Rogers Fund
last spring, embraces examples of the italian.
French and German fighting gear OF the If
teenth and sixteenth centuries with some
Oriental pieces Of the same antiquity 1t has
been arranged in a spacious room adjoining
the one in which the late Heber Bishops jades
are so sumptuously displayed, the suits Of arnor
standing behind glass against the walls and
the light weapons appearing in eight fiat cases
grouped in couples on the floor The mode of
presentation is distinctly formal. One misses
the brilliant effect produced in the great Ar
meria AT Madrid, for example. where the skilful
use Of mannikins. mounted and aroot. sets off
the trappings OF the old Spanish warriors to
marked advantage. There Is nothing here COM
parable 10 the noble figure OF Charles V upon
his charger, lance in hand, as in Titan's famous
picture. dominating the princes and soldiers
around him with the air Of life itself. The Dino
collection, moreover, is far from rivaling the
spendors OF this and other royal arnories
in Europe. Other private coanolsseurs. like Mr.
Riggs. OF Paris. and the late Sir Richard Wal
lace, went nearer to challenging the distinction
Of Madrid. or Turin. or Vienna. or 81. Peters
burg in this field. But our museum now pos
sexses some pieces or notable historical sig
nifcance. pointed out in illustrated
description of the Dine collection when the pur.
chase Of It was announced in April and they
should prove OF value to the student
With what simplicity the early arnore-s
looked 10 the protection OF their patrons and 10
nothing more is welt shown by the italian suit
which figures chronologicauy we. IN the fore
front OF the present exhibition There Is
ornament anywhere on these Gothic plates.
which plainly worn simply for where
the fray was hottest. The same straightforward
idea is TO be noted again and again IN the cases
devoted to coverings for the head alone. The
Orientals followed in their casques the grace
tu lines Of the d0rnes OF their minarets. and
they varied these constantly, so that a group OF
seven or eight pieces leaves decidedly varied
impression. But in Europe you will find IN the
earlier years Of the craft chiefly the stark
severity which charactsrizes one fine old Bur-
gundlan helm in this collection. a severity
which puts all thought OF artistic beauty out of
the mind. and suggests only the grim realities OF
battle. II the armorers had stood stn IN mat
ters or design. their works would to-day possess
only an archaeological interest But they
saw that metal. as they used IT, had wonderful
possibilities in respect 10 decorative beauty.
They grooved and futed their suits. gaining
thereby delightfully."- varied surfaces with a much
richer play OF light and shade. and presently.
as IN one italian piece here. they pierced the
metals with a formal pattern in appropriate
places. and gained result which must have
made a European army OF other days Of
the most dazzling OF spectacIes.
They went further and made armor not only
for the field but for the court. In fact. many
Fro,,
save for occasions OF ceremony. Witness the
German example CT the sixteenth century, which
IS reputed to have been given by the Emperor
Macmillan TO one OF his courtiers. This fam
boyant affair of frills and furbelows in shining
steel looks like some monstrous fashion plate.
dress calculated TO 1atter the vanity of par
ticipant in fantastic, unnatural revels. But the
knight OF that era was not content with gro
tesque ma gnifcence. he would be exquisite. even
in full panopIy and his wishes met by
arrnorers who became, for the nonce, sculptore,
or by scUlptors who were willing on occasion 70
practise the arnorer's craft There is a French
corselet in the Dino collection on which battle
scene is modelled in fairly high relief, and with
the rest of the pieces that go with il, it makes
as handsome an article OF dress the most
exacting Of court dandes could have desired.
Sometimes the armorers went little too far.
There is a dilanese shield shown at the museum
which seems a bit OF decoration pure and SIM
pie, thing 10 hang upon the wall. But the
half-ar1nor likewise of Milanese origin. which
Is grouped with this is perfect illustration OF
art serving 4 unitarian purpose The beautiful
ornamental ton on this piece is most shrewdIy
placed it adorns the metal without destroying
the proper association of ideas. without trans
forming into mere friPpery a costume which.
even in the peaceful precincts OF a palace,
should, at least, suggest the martial character
OF the camp.
It was diffcuIt at the best. 70 make arnaor
artistic. II was necessarily cunbrous, and it
imposed peculiarly rigid conditions OF form upon
the designer But in the treatment OF steel
weapons the craftsman could do almost what ne
liked, and the cases of swords and daggers here
are rich in specimens Of refined workmanship
The dead,iest blade (there is one dagger shown
with teeth on it's edges. all pointing toward the
hilt, SO that when Withdrawn from the nesn the
thing must have left an atrocious WOUND was
until It sprang from the sheath or scaboard' as
beautiful All adornment as any piece OF Jewelry.
Even some Of the old battle hammers and naces
were danascened and otherwise decorated uhlh
they rivalled the sceptres OF kings in luxurianee