The Art Institute of Chicago's George F. Harding Collection of arms and armor is one of the most popular exhibits in the museum, as well as one of the greatest collections of arms and armor in North America. Now, for the first time, these renowned treasures are presented in this handsome volume celebrating the richness of a lost art.

This book is a visual delight, with numerous examples of full and half armors, finely etched helmets, firearms with carved ivory stocks, back- and breastplates with gilded figures, and other exotic items all reproduced in full color. Additionally , paintings by such artists as Rembrandt and Ingres, along with drawings, woodcuts, and engravings, accompany these beautiful images to illustrate the many uses of arms and armor in medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Europe.

Written by arms and armor specialist Walter J. Karcheski, Jr., the text delves into a world where feudalism and the institution of knighthood prevailed and where arms and armor played a crucial role. Karcheski traces the development and craftsmanship of these magnificent suits and weapons throughout the centuries and discusses the armor developed for use in battle as well as that made specifically for tournaments, hunting, and pageantry.

Additionally, he explores the craftsmen's guilds and the production and decoration of armor.