14de-eeuws harnas uit het leger van Jan II van Frankrijk, uit de collectie van het Musée d'Artillerie in Parijs before 1882

This is a photograph of 14th-century armor from the army of John II of France, part of the Musée d'Artillerie collection in Paris. The anonymous photographer captured the armor in a formal, frontal view, which emphasizes its symmetrical structure and detailed texture. The composition divides the armor into distinct zones, from the helmeted head down to the articulated boots. This creates a visual hierarchy that guides the eye across the form. Each component of the armor displays a unique texture, meticulously rendered through the photographic medium. The play of light and shadow across the metal surfaces accentuates the depth and dimensionality of the armor, suggesting not just protection but also a powerful aesthetic presence. This photograph engages with ideas of representation and reality. The armor, a functional object of war, is transformed into an object of contemplation. The photographic medium captures its materiality, while also abstracting it, inviting us to decode its signs. The artwork invites ongoing interpretation of war, status, and representation.