by Casey Mysliwy, PortalWisconsin.org

Knights in shining armor are usually the stuff of history and legend, but starting April 19, Wausau's Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum brings the days of chivalry to life in its "Age of Armor" exhibit.

"Age of Armor: From the Higgins Armory Museum" showcases sixty pieces of body armor dating from 550 B.C.E. to the mid-17th century. The pieces come from the only American museum dedicated solely to the art of arms and armor, which is located in Worcester, Mass. The collection includes helmets, chain-mail shirts, swords and more, as well as seven full suits of armor. The "Age of Armor" exhibit allows visitors to get a close look at the meticulous craftsmanship behind each piece of armor.

The examples of armor in the exhibit attest to the various functions armor served in its glory days. In addition to protecting the wearer from harm, armor was also a way for its forgers to demonstrate their skills. Armorers incorporated engraving, gilding, painting and other design techniques into armor to make their work visually appealing as well as practical. Armor was also used to denote the rank and standing of its wearer, and the decorative features on each piece of armor reflected the user's good taste and appreciation of beauty.

Examples of masterful forging include an infantryman's breastplate from the hammers of Milanese craftsmen that reveals simple yet elegant designs, and elaborately etched and gilded horse armor from Southern Germany. The elegance and power embodied in these and the exhibit's other pieces are still impressive today.

In conjunction with the "Age of Armor" exhibit, the Woodson Art Museum offers other events and programs meant to fully immerse visitors in the world of the knight. Master armorers from the Oakeshott Institute in Minneapolis will set up their forges to demonstrate the process of creating armor. The armorers will also discuss techniques and materials used in forging armor and describe how armor influenced the gallant gestures and courtesies of knighthood.

The museum has also invited a number of speakers to share their insights into the culture of armor and knighthood. UW-Madison faculty members Lisa H. Cooper, assistant professor of English, and John W. Barker, emeritus professor of history, will discuss the roles armor played in literature and music. Other speakers include Wisconsin Veterans Museum curator William Brewster, who will talk about the 20th-century armor of soldiers, and historian Jess McCullough, who will focus on the history of siege weapons.

"Age of Armor" remains on view at the Woodson Art Museum through June 22. Visit the Woodson Art Museum Web site at www.lywam.org for specific times and additional information.

Exhibitions running concurrently with "Age of Armor" are "Suburban Knights: The Warrior Mystique" and "Through the Looking Glass." "Suburban Knights" features the work of California photographer E.F. Kitchen, who documents the activities of members of the Society for Creative Anachronism, who re-create the arts and skills of the medieval and Renaissance periods.