15de-eeuws harnas met zwaard en schild uit het leger van Karel VII van Frankrijk, uit de collectie van het Musée d'Artillerie in Parijs before 1882

This photograph captures a fifteenth-century armor, complete with sword and shield, which once belonged to the army of Charles VII of France. The armor is a powerful symbol of a deeply stratified feudal society. Envision the physical weight of this armor on the soldier. It's a burden, a second skin that speaks to the violence of the era. Who was this anonymous individual who bore this weight in service of the king? What did loyalty mean in a world of constant conflict? The metal's coldness contrasts sharply with the fire of the battles it must have witnessed. Consider how such objects construct a narrative of power and masculinity. The image invites us to reflect on the human cost of monarchy and the countless untold stories of those who lived, fought, and died encased in metal.