Parade Armor

The parade armor was originally made by Eliseus Libaerts of Antwerp for King Erik XIV of Sweden in 1563-1564. After being taken as war booty by the Danes, Christian II purchased the armor in 1603 for his brother, Johann Georg (I), the owner of an exquisite Armory. Later, the new owner had himself portrayed wearing the blackened armor with its embossed and partly gilt figures. The central motifs may be spotted on the breast and the back; they are the head of Medusa and Hercules with its club, respectively.