Cannon (Bastard Culverin) Made for Henry II, King of France

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Cast for Henry II of France (r. 1547–1559), this is one of very few royal pieces of ordnance known to survive from the French Renaissance, and among them it is one of the largest and also most profusely decorated examples. Of a type known as a couleuvrine bâtarde (a bastard culverin), it is the third largest of the six calibers Henry prescribed in 1552 for French royal ordnance. Beside the quality of execution and its remarkable state of preservation, the striking ornamentation of much of the gun's surface with royal emblems is distinctly French. Marking the apogee of a style that appears to have first emerged under Louis XII (r. 1498–1515), it includes cryptic emblems that were so typical of Renaissance court culture and very much favored in France. As Henry's reign ended in tragedy––the king was fatally wounded in a tournament––and France entered a long a difficult period of unrest and civil war, French royal ordnance would never be as glorious again until Louis XIV's reign (1643–1715).

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