Originally mounted on a wooden shaft, this extremely large arrowhead probably served as a symbol of rank or a baton of command. It is decorated with royal Bohemian monograms and badges in addition to religious invocations in medieval Czech. It bears the monogram AR for Albert, king of Bohemia and Hungary (reigned 1437–39).
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Artwork Details
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Title:Ceremonial Arrowhead
Date:1437–39
Geography:probably Prague
Culture:Bohemian, probably Prague
Medium:Steel, copper alloy
Dimensions:L. 12 9/16 in. (31.9 cm); W. 2 7/16 in. (6.2 cm); Wt. 28.1 oz. (797 g)
Classification:Archery Equipment-Arrows & Quivers
Credit Line:Purchase, David and Dorothy Alexander and Mrs. Ridgeley Hunt Gifts, Bequest of Stephen V. Grancsay, by exchange, and funds from various donors, 1984
Object Number:1984.17
Inscription: Inscribed on obverse, right flange: ar (probably the monogram for albertus rex, or King Albert), m (monogram for marya, or Mary); on reverse: S (reversed; probably a scroll, possibly a monogram) with pane bozy sanse[y ... kly racys(?)] amen (O Lord God [indecipherable] Amen); on the left flange: y (monogram for yhesus, or Jesus); on the right flange: r(?) (perhaps the monogram for rex, or king).
Barons von Geusau, Castle Engelstein, near Weitra, Austria (until 1898; sold to Eugen); Archduke Eugen of Austria, Castle Hohenwerfen, near Salzburg (1898–1927; The Great Historical Collection of Arms & Armour sale, The Anderson Galleries, New York, March 1–5, 1927, no. 800, as “Italian Hunting Spear”); Clarence H. Mackay, Roslyn, NY (by 1931–d. 1938); [Eric Vaule, Bridgewater, CT, until 1984; sold through Leopold Blumka Galleries, New York, to MMA].
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Loan Exhibition of European Arms and Armor," August 3–September 27, 1931, no. 512 (called "hunting speak, Italian, 1500," lent by Clarence H. Mackay).
Prague. Prague Castle. "Charles IV, Emperor by the Grace of God: Culture and Art in the Reign of the Last of the Luxembourgs 1347–1437," February 16–May 21, 2005, no. 15.8.1.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Charles IV, Emperor by the Grace of God: Culture and Art in the Reign of the Last of the Luxembourgs 1347–1437," September 19, 2005–January 3, 2006, no. 15.8.1.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Prague, The Crown of Bohemia 1347-1437," September 19, 2005–January 3, 2006.
Prague Castle. "Charles IV, Emperor through the Grace of God: Culture and Art in the Time of the Last Luxembourgs, 1347–1437," February 16–May 21, 2006.
Budapest. Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest. "Sigismundus – Rex et Imperator, Art and Culture During the Time of Sigismund of Luxembourg, 1387–1437," March 18–June 18, 2006, no. 5.9.
Luxembourg. Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art Luxembourg. "Sigismundus – Rex et Imperator, Art and Culture During the Time of Sigismund of Luxembourg, 1387–1437," July 13–October 15, 2006, no. 5.9.
Boeheim, Wendelin. "Alte Rüstkammer (Fachliche Notizen)." Zeitschrift für historische Waffenkunde, Zeitschrift für Historische Waffen- und Kostümkunde, 1 p. 213 (collection of Archduke Eugen discussed, which included this arrowhead).
Anderson Galleries. The Great Historical Collection of Arms & Armour. New York: Anderson Galleries, March 1–5, 1927. p. 134, lot. 800, ill.
Grancsay, Stephen V. Loan Exhibition of European Arms and Armor: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, August 3 to September 27, 1931. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1931. p. 115, no. 512 (called a "hunting spear, Italian, 1500," lent by Clarence H. Mackay).
Kalmár, Johannes von. "Pfeilspitzen als Würdezeichen." Zeitschrift für Historische Waffen– und Kostümkunde, Zeitschrift für Historische Waffen- und Kostümkunde, 15, n.s.v. 6 pp. 218–21 (similar arrowheads illustrated).
Nickel, Helmut. "Ceremonial Arrowheads from Bohemia." Metropolitan Museum Journal 1 pp. 61–90.
Nickel, Helmut. "Böhmische Prunkpfeilspitzen." Sborník Národního musea v Praze, (1969), pp. 102–163, no. 3.
Nickel, Helmut, Stuart W. Pyhrr, Leonid Tarassuk, and David G. Alexander. "Arms and Armor." Notable Acquisitions (Metropolitan Museum of Art) (1984), pp. 20–21, ill.
Nickel, Helmut, and Stuart W. Pyhrr. "Arms and Armor." Recent Acquisitions (Metropolitan Museum of Art) (1988), p. 23.
Dolínek, Vladimír, and Jan Durdík. The Encyclopedia of European Historical Weapons. London: Hamlyn, 1993. p. 172, fig. 202 (a similar arrowhead).
Boehm, Barbara Drake, and Jiri Fajt. Prague: The Crown of Bohemia, 1347–1437, edited by Barbara Drake Boehm, and Jiri Fajt. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2005. pp. 323–24, no. 156b, ill.
Fajt, Jiri, and Barbara Drake Boehm, eds. Karel IV., Císař Boží Milosti: Kultura a Umění za Vlády Posledních Lucemburků 1347–1437 (Charles IV, Emperor by the Grace of God: Culture and Art in the Reign of the Last of the Luxembourgs 1347–1437). Prague: Správa Pražského hradu, 2006. pp. 114–15, no. 15.8.1, ill.
Zsombor Jekely, Szilárd Papp, and Györgyi Poszler. Sigismundus Rex et Imperator: Kunst und Kultur zur Zeit Sigismunds von Luxemburg, 1387–1437, edited by Dr. Imre Takács, Chief Curator, Szépmuvészeti Múzeum. Mainz: Verlag Philipp von Zabern, 2006. pp. 446–47, no. 5.9, ill.
Breiding, Dirk H. A Deadly Art: European Crossbows, 1250–1850. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2013. pp. 126–29, no. 47b, ill.
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