Small Crossbow (Schnepper), Probably for a Woman or Child

Johann Gottfried Hänisch the Elder German

Not on view

Made by the court crossbow-maker to the dukes of Saxony, this crossbow has an elegant and finely engraved inlay that distinguishes it as a weapon of high quality intended for use at the court in Dresden or in one of the other nearby ducal residences. The theme of the decoration might suggest that it was used for hunting small game, but the delicate size of this crossbow indicates that it probably was used by a lady or a child for shooting competitions, some of which would have been held indoors.

Small Crossbow (Schnepper), Probably for a Woman or Child, Johann Gottfried Hänisch the Elder (German, Dresden, 1696–1778), Steel, wood (fruitwood, probably plum or cherry), staghorn, hemp, wool, gold, horn, German, Dresden

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Small Crossbow (Schnepper), Probably for a Woman or Child, Johann Gottfried Hänisch the Elder (German, Dresden, 1696–1778), Steel, wood (fruitwood, probably plum or cherry), staghorn, hemp, wool, gold, horn, German, Dresden
Small Crossbow (Schnepper), Probably for a Woman or Child, Johann Gottfried Hänisch the Elder (German, Dresden, 1696–1778), Steel, wood (fruitwood, probably plum or cherry), staghorn, hemp, wool, gold, horn, German, Dresden
Small Crossbow (Schnepper), Probably for a Woman or Child, Johann Gottfried Hänisch the Elder (German, Dresden, 1696–1778), Steel, wood (fruitwood, probably plum or cherry), staghorn, hemp, wool, gold, horn, German, Dresden

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.