Phillip II's kabuto helmet

3D Model

The kabuto in the Spanish Royal Armory is among Europe’s oldest collections of Japanese armour. Two photographs taken by Jean Laurent in the mid-19th century, along with a contemporary lateral-view drawing, are the only visual records of the kabuto before a devastating fire in the Royal Armoury of Madrid on 10 July 1884.

The scanning of the kabuto by Factum Arte’s Imran Khan took place at the Royal Armory in August 2024, using photogrammetry. However, due to the reflective nature of the satin-finished steel, the resulting 3D model was flawed – its smooth surface distorted into rough textures by the scanning process. Following a meticulous clean-up, the reconstruction process began, drawing upon as many direct historical sources as possible.