[Sidenote: _Philippo and Jacomo Negroli_, Milan, _circ._ 1521-80. Marks 42, 43, 44.]

Philippo and Jacomo Negroli were sons of Bernardino who worked in Rome. It is uncertain whether their father still kept the name of Missaglia, which was used by Antonio and Thomaso Negroni. The earliest known work by these masters is dated 1532. For some years they were assisted by their brother Francesco, who left them about this date and worked alone for the Mantuan Court. Brantome and Vasari both mention Philip as being a craftsman of very high repute. His armour was always very costly, and Brantome states that a morion made by him would cost 40 thalers and that in sixteen years he had amassed 50,000 thalers. He seems to have been ennobled, for Brantome calls him Seigneur de Negroli. He had a house in the Porta Comassina, the wealthy quarter of Milan. His work is always ornate, but does not transgress the craft-laws to such an extent as did the armour of Peffenhauser and Piccinino (Plate XXIX). Work by the Negrolis is to be found as follows: In Madrid, A, 139-46; D, 13, 30, 64. Vienna, 330. Paris, G, 7, 10, 178.

The armourer and his craft from the XIth to the XVIth century — Part 111

[Sidenote: _Anton Peffenhauser_, Augsburg, 1525-1603.]

The armourer and his craft from the XIth to the XVIth century — Part 111

We have no details of the life of this craftsman beyond the dates of his birth and death. He is best known as the maker of elaborately decorated armour. The suit made for King Sebastian of Portugal (Madrid, A, 290) is one of the most ornate suits in existence (Plate XIV, also p. 75). His works are found as follows: Madrid, A, 290. Dresden, C, 10, 13, 15_a_, 20; D, 11; E, 6_a_, 10; G, 146. Vienna, 489, 490.

The armourer and his craft from the XIth to the XVIth century — Part 111

[Sidenote: _Lucio Piccinino_, Milan, _circ._ 1590.]

Lucio was the son of Antonio Piccinino, the famous sword-smith. It is uncertain whether he actually produced armour himself or whether he was solely concerned with the decoration. Like Peffenhauser he delighted in lavish display of ornament without any consideration to its fitness for armour. His work is extraordinarily minute and the technical skill displayed is extreme. His work is only to be found at Madrid, A, 291-4, and at Vienna, 543.

[Sidenote: _Pompeo della Chiesa_, Milan, 1590.]

The son of a noted craftsman, Pompeo was one of the foremost armourers in the latter years of the sixteenth century. He was Court Armourer to Philip III of Spain, and to the Archduke of Milan, Alessandro Farnese. His work is found in the Armeria Reale, Turin, C, 21, 70; in Vienna, 858, 859.