Renovating During the Tudor Era

Armored horses and riders in The Emma and Georgina Bloomberg Arms and Armor Court, in the John Pierpont Morgan Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image Saxon Henry.

Hindsight is 20/20, as they say. Looking back in time from this great distance, it’s easy to see how barbaric a sport jousting was. But before you feel all modern and lofty, consider America’s devotion to football, even after the discovery of its deadly occurrence of brain trauma.

A Hans Holbein the Younger portrait of Henry...