NORBERT JOPEK DURER AND SCULPTURE

The pure silhouette of the piece, however, is only a part of the original decorative scheme. Italian armorers of the fifteenth century had learned to combine simplicity of line with pro- tective features that could hardly be improved upon; hence the energies of artists were increas- ingly expended upon ornamentation and enrich- ment. This helmet was not only a protection against the weapons of an enemy, but at...