[Gregory J. Liebau]

Here's a set of photographs I took at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria back in 2006 during a choir trip! I finally took the time to organize the good pictures in one place. There are no duplicates but some items may have been photographed a couple of times. All in all, I remember that at the time I was very disappointed with the low amount of photos that turned out decently for me, but I didn't have a super good camera. I plan on venturing back sometime in the next year or so to do a more thorough examination of the collections at the Rustkammer.

But here's what I've got from before!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45665351@N00/sets/72157622612075258/

Cheers!

-Gregory

[Wes Pryor]

[Daniel Sullivan]

Thanks for posting the photos. They are far better than what I came away with. Had similar difficulties in getting decent photographs in other museums. Guess that is why our home is stacked with books.....

The great thing about using a camera in the Rustkammer is very little, if anything, is behind glass. The same with the collection at Graz. Were you able to visit Graz on your last trip? It is not to be missed. A real stunner of a collection and only about an hour or two south of Vienna. The scenery is well worth the train fare.

Before your next trip to Vienna, please contact me and I will send you an excellent travel guide of the city.

Regards,
Dan

[Adam D. Kent-Isaac]

This armour strikes me as very odd. Instead of tassets, there's what looks like a rear-guard strapped to the front. I've seen wide one-piece articulated plates on cuirassiers' harnesses to protect the rider's buttocks, but I've never seen the same kind of piece on the front end.



Is this some kind of very late variation on a "tonlet" skirt? Is it designed for foot combat?

[Gregory J. Liebau]

The shape of the armour shows that it was made for a rather small, stubby man. Imagine, if you would, the typical (and rather flawed, but that's a different story) figure that is portrayed as being that of Napoleon Bonaparte's. I'm pretty sure the suit was probably made for infantry use of some sort, but it is for a Tyrolian Duke, and it may just be an odd example of an extremely wealthy man's imaginative armourer! It certainly is particularly unique, and also dates to 1620, which was the final era of armour and the design of even expensive plate was often much more functionally-oriented rather than stylized for fashion.

[Adam D. Kent-Isaac]

LOL at the guy on the left...