The Last Knight: The Art, Armor, and Ambition of Maximilian I from The Met Museum

Edited by Pierre Terjanian From the time Maximilian I (1459-1519) became duke of Burgundy at the age of eighteen until he died while serving as Holy Roman Emperor, his passion for the trappings and ideals of knighthood served his worldly ambitions, imaginative strategies, and resolute efforts to forge a legacy. Later known as the “Last Knight,” Maximilian was a master of the art of self-promotion; he ordered exceptional armor from the most celebrated armorers in Europe, as well as heroic autobiographical epics and lavish designs for prints. Coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Maximilian’s death, this catalogue is the first to examine the masterworks that he commissioned, revealing how art and armor contributed to Maximilian’s aspirations, the construction of his identity and the politics of Europe at the dawn of the Renaissance. Pierre Terjanian is Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Curator in Charge of the Department of Arms and Armor at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.