Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 4).djvu/220

 about 1878. How the Bibliothèque Nationale first became possessed of these treasures is not recorded; most likely they were a French royal possession. Originally they may have been constructed in the workshops of the Louvre by French armourers working for the crown of France. But these armourers, probably of the same school, must have belonged to a later period than that represented by the makers of the Colbert casque, for in the methods of their workmanship there is to be seen a resemblance to the earlier series of French armour.

We give, before closing our short list of open casques of French origin, an illustration of that very remarkable head-piece which, together with the shield belonging to it, was made for King Louis XIV (Fig. 1267). As in the case of the shield the foundation of the helmet is of silver with applied enrichment in ormolu, which is in the flamboyantly affected classical taste of the time. It appears that the casque and shield, which are reproduced in certain Gobelin tapestries of the time, were made at the "Gobelins" for Louis XIV and were probably carried in front of him on some State occasion. There exists a small portrait of Louis XV at the age of fourteen or fifteen, painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud, which represents the King on foot in demi*-armour. Beside him on a seat is shown this helmet and the royal sceptre. In the picture a laurel wreath is added to the casque. It would appear that this was a sketch by Rigaud for some larger picture. The sketch is in the collection of a well-known French amateur.