Breastplate
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
The breastplate protects the chest and abdomen and is normally worn with a backplate. This one features a lance rest which start to appear as early as the late 1300s. The purpose of the lance rest is not to bear the weight of the lance. Instead allows a mounted warrior to hold the lance firmly couched under his right arm and stops it from sliding backward. If the target is hit the lance rest also acts as a shock absorber, preventing the lance from shooting backward and dispersing the impact via the breastplate all over the upper body rather than leaving it concentrated on the hand. When not needed it can be folded up so that is is out of the way.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own description
