Pair of Stirrups
Not on view
Before being damaged by corrosion, this pair of stirrups was richly decorated with engraved and gilded medallions displaying ancient figures, surrounded by inlaid silver dots and gold damascened arabesques. This decoration is similar to contemporary arms and armor produced in Milan, and could have been part of a similarly adorned set.
This sort of wide stirrup, called genette style, was typical of the Islamic world, and widely used in the Ottoman empire at the same time. They were introduced to Europe during the Arab presence in Spain, and then kept by the Spaniards for their light cavalry.
In the rest of Europe, they were mostly used during leisure riding or equestrian games, when princes and lords rode their Arabian horses imported from the Ottoman empire. It was common then to ride these horses using Ottoman style tack, imported or made and decorated in Europe.
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