Fireback with New Testament Scenes and Two Knights Jousting

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cast iron firebacks were intended to increase the efficiency of a fireplace by radiating heat. They were widely used in Europe by the sixteenth century and by European settlers in North American in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They are frequently decorated with phrases and episodes from the Bible, scenes from everyday life, heraldry, or other emblems.

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