A renowned 19th-century cultural historian and specialist on the Middle Ages, J. H. Hefner-Alteneck spent much of his life observing the influence of art on many aspects of human life, including weaponry. His illustrations for this handsome archive — drawn with incredible exactitude — depict a wide array of medieval weapons and armor dating from the early ninth century to the mid-1700s.
Adapted primarily from decorative ornamentation on burial monuments and manuscripts, hundreds of finely executed images depict authentic shields, swords, crossbows, helmets, and highly ornate suits of body armor for knights and their steeds. Newly translated descriptive notes, extracted from the original German text, identify the subjects.
First published more than 100 years ago, this meticulously rendered study remains an invaluable source of permission-free illustrations for artists and designers and an indispensable reference for scholars, collectors, and hobbyists.