Pair of Stirrups

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

These heavy iron cross-form stirrups are decorated in low relief with goats and birds among stylized vegetation. The arms of the crosses display large spiraled circles flanked by palmettes. Estribos de cruz, as they are called in Spanish, were particularly popular in Mexico during the 18th century, and were used by cavalry. Oversized and very heavy, many of them feature extravagant decoration, sometimes enriched with silver elements. Horses were already at this time a mark of social status in Mexican society, and the display of rich, beautiful, and shiny horse tack was a way to highlight this fact. Despite (or perhaps because of) its popularity, however, this type of stirrup was officially forbidden for soldiers by royal decree in 1772, and then completely in 1778, mostly because of the danger they presented to bystanders.

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