Hunting Sword

Emanuel Pioté

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This richly decorated sword was made for one of the counts Hoyos-Sprinzenstein. His enameled coat of arms surmounts the lion-headed pommel. The scabbard locket is inscribed "Pioté et Köchert," the leading Viennese jewelers of the nineteenth century.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art