The Story Behind the Work

A helmet belonging to Philip I of Castile is made of steel, partially gilt and etched.

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Friday, July 10, 2009

In addition to its strong visual punch, armor often delivers a powerful political message. Take this helmet, which belonged to King Philip I of Castile (a.k.a. Philip the Handsome).

That thing on top? It's a pomegranate. But this is no Carmen Miranda-style headgear.

For much of the 15th century, Spain was divided into several warring kingdoms: Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarre in the Christian north, and the Muslim emirate of Granada to the south. After the fall of Granada in 1492 and the unification of Spain, the pomegranate (a symbol of Granada) was incorporated into the Spanish coat of arms.

So wearing it on the crest of your helmet -- this one was made between 1496 and 1500 -- would have been seen as a kind of war trophy. Still, it has even deeper meaning. The pomegranate, with its multitude of seeds contained inside a single skin, represents the many kingdoms of Spain bound under one ruler.