Cased Pair of Percussion Pistols with Accessories

Louis-Julien Gastinne-Renette

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The designs represented in an album in the Metropolitan Museum's collection (acc. no. 2010.31) were engraved on pieces such as this pistol by Gastinne-Renette, who ran a successful Parisian firm specializing in highly decorated custom firearms. He was gunmaker to the emperor of France and the king of Spain and was awarded medals for his craftsmanship at several international expositions between the 1840s and the 1870s.

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