Antique German Jousting Knights Plate c.1500, Hand-Colored Print, Published 1880

Antique German Jousting Knights Plate c.1500, Hand-Colored Print

This dynamic antique costume plate offers an energetic and beautifully rendered depiction of German jousting practices around the year 1500. Richly hand-colored and drawn with remarkable movement and detail, the print shows two stages of a tournament encounter, capturing the splendor, violence, and ceremonial pageantry characteristic of late medieval chivalry. Produced in the late 19th century for a scholarly and artistic costume atlas, it remains a visually striking and historically valuable illustration.

The upper register shows two armored knights charging toward one another at full speed. Their horses are draped in elaborate caparisons, one in red with checkered edging, the other in gray with a matching cloth. The lances are angled for impact, and the riders brace themselves behind their shields, evoking the tense anticipation before collision. Even in this preliminary moment, the craftsmanship of the armor, the plumes, and the heraldic details is rendered with great precision.

The lower register captures the dramatic climax of the tournament: the breaking of lances upon impact. One knight’s lance splinters as it strikes the opponent’s armor, sending fragments into the air. The wooden tilt barrier adds authenticity and anchors the scene in the competitive structure of medieval jousting tournaments. The bright red and blue horse coverings, the heavy plate armor, and the extravagant plumes on both horses and helmets convey the ceremonial importance of these events within aristocratic culture.

This plate is ideal for collectors drawn to medieval chivalry, military history, tournament culture, or antique equestrian imagery. The combination of motion, heraldry, and detailed armor makes it particularly decorative and appealing for library, study, office, or masculine interior spaces.

Condition report: Very good antique condition with soft, even aging to the sheet. Slight margin wear and a few faint specks typical for the period. Image area clean with vivid hand-coloring. No tears or repairs.

Framing tips: A cream or parchment-colored mat enhances the red, blue, and metallic tones. A dark wood frame (walnut or oak) highlights the medieval character, while an antique-gold frame emphasizes the ceremonial splendor of the tournament armor. Floating the sheet preserves the full imprint for a museum-style presentation.

Technique: Hand-colored lithograph

Maker: Max Tilke, printed by Ernst Wasmuth A.-G., Berlin, c.1880