Gun Shield

Art Institute of Chicago

Gun Shield

ItalianLinkedCulture matchlcp-fe73adccbb59

Date
c. 1544
Medium
Steel, iron, wood, wool textile, and hemp fiber
Culture
Italy
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Institution
Art Institute of Chicago
Object ID
106394

From the Art Institute of Chicago record

A curious and seemingly impractical invention, this gun shield was one of at least 66 recorded in the Tower of London. They were commissioned or purchased for military use by Henry VIII from an Italian merchant, Giovanbattista of Ravenna, around 1544. The king must have been fascinated by its novelty. Revolutionary for its time, the shield is fitted with a breach (backend)-loading matchlock pistol that was designed to accept a preloaded steel cartridge into the chamber. To fire, the gunner had to hold the shield with his left forearm, aim through the protective grill, and pull a lever holding a smol- dering match with his right hand. The body of the shield was constructed of plywood covered in hemp padding and wool, which can be seen at the back.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line
George F. Harding Collection

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Object type
AAT300036926

Part of a LinkedCulture topic

  • Representative object from the topic European Renaissance Armor Components
    European Renaissance Armor Components

    These objects are all pieces of defensive armor and military equipment from 15th-17th century Europe, primarily from major armoring centers like Italy, Germany, and France.

    500 objects from 4 institutions

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