Pair of Stirrups

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This pair of stirrups, each one adorned with two eagle’s heads, would have belonged to a high officer of Emperor Napoleon I’s army, possibly a general. Considering regulation cavalry equipment too simple for their status, high officers would often commission for themselves a richer version of it, sometimes designed by imperial goldsmiths. They would be displayed primarily during military parades or other official events.

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