Cased Pair of Percussion Target Pistols with Loading and Cleaning Accessories, Made for Henri Charles Ferdinand Marie Dieudonné d'Artois, Duke of Bordeaux, Count of Chambord (1820–1883)

Jean André Prosper Henri Le Page

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

These pistols were made for the nine-year-old Henri d'Artois (1820–1883), the last member of the Bourbon royal dynasty. Their decoration includes the fleurs-de-lis of France and the crowned monogram of their owner. The maker, Henri Le Page, served the restored French monarchy as Gunmaker to the King. The engraved sheet-gold inlaid flush with the surface of the stock recalls the style popular during the Napoleonic era, when Le Page's father served Napoleon in a similar capacity.

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