Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 1).djvu/263

 served no utilitarian purpose. It would appear that the Brera picture is signed and dated 1505. Cotignola preferred to paint this old suit instead of a new one, probably because it formed part of the furniture or decoration of his studio.

From a picture by Pisano Pisanello, painted in 1438 National Gallery

Green's Norton church, Northamptonshire

Representations of the massive plain utilitarian suits of the Missaglia school, suits almost cumbersome in their appearance yet belonging to the great period of Italian art, are a conspicuous feature of certain Italian pictures, drawings, and sculptures. In such a harness Frederico da Montefeltro figures three times to our knowledge. He is first to be seen in Justus of Ghent's picture, now in the Barberini Palace (Fig. 225), clad in complete armour and in robes of State, wearing the collar of the Golden Fleece. Seated in a chair of state, immersed in a book of the Gospels, he is caparisoned in a plain suit of fighting armour. About his left leg is the