Walking Stick with Companion Hunting Sword, Knife, and Scabbard

Walking Stick with Companion Hunting Sword, Knife, and Scabbard

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This seemingly unique hunting garniture was made for Maximilian Franz of Austria (1756–1801), the youngest son of Empress Maria Theresa (1717–1780), presumably before he became Prince Archbishop and Elector of Cologne in 1784. Comprising a sword with scabbard and byknife, and a matching walking stick, it is remarkable for the finely painted Meissen porcelain of which the grip and handles are made. Derived from a suite of etchings by the Augsburg artist Johann Elias Ridinger, and appropriately featuring scenes of the stag hunt, the decoration of the porcelain elements is executed in a shades of puce, a fashionable technique that was especially prized for the range of tonalities that it afforded.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Walking Stick with Companion Hunting Sword, Knife, and ScabbardWalking Stick with Companion Hunting Sword, Knife, and ScabbardWalking Stick with Companion Hunting Sword, Knife, and ScabbardWalking Stick with Companion Hunting Sword, Knife, and ScabbardWalking Stick with Companion Hunting Sword, Knife, and Scabbard

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.