Pair of Stirrups of Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), Bishop of Penne and Atri

Pair of Stirrups of Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), Bishop of Penne and Atri

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Each side of these stirrups is decorated with grotesque designs showing vegetal scrolls, putti and masks. On the front plate adorning each suspension eye, two nude figures flank the arms of the Odescalchi family, topped with an ecclesiastical hat and with a pelican feeding its chicks underneath. According to their dating range, these stirrups would have belonged to Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), who was first appointed apostolic nuncio to Switzerland in 1553, and then apostolic nuncio and collector of Pope Pius IV in the Viceroyalty of Naples in 1560 and 1568. He then became bishop of Penne and Atri between 1568 and 1572. The front plaque was a pre-made model for ecclesiastic dignitaries, the arms of the owner being then added on demand. The hat is purposely represented without its side pompons, the number of which traditionally indicating the ecclesiastical rank, allowing the design to be used for different hierarchies.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pair of Stirrups of Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), Bishop of Penne and AtriPair of Stirrups of Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), Bishop of Penne and AtriPair of Stirrups of Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), Bishop of Penne and AtriPair of Stirrups of Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), Bishop of Penne and AtriPair of Stirrups of Paolo Odescalchi (?–1585), Bishop of Penne and Atri

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.