Curb Bit of Johannes Philip of Lamberg, Bishop of Passau (1651-1712)
Unknown Artist
dated 1702
Medium
Iron alloy, tin
Dimensions
H. 12 1/2 in. (31.8 cm); W. 6 1/4 in. (15.9 cm); Wt. 1 lb. 15.1 oz. (881.7 g)
Classification
Equestrian Equipment-Bits
Culture
German
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Stephen V. Grancsay, 1942
Accession Number
42.50.474
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 17th- and 18th-century equestrian splendor with this finely crafted curb bit, once owned by Johannes Philip of Lamberg, Bishop of Pass (1651–1712). Dated 1702, this masterpiece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms and Armor collection measures an imposing 12½ inches high and weighs nearly 2 pounds, underscoring its robust design for controlling powerful warhorses or ceremonial mounts. As a high-ranking church official in the Holy Roman Empire, the bishop would have relied on such equipment to project authority during processions or travels. Forged from iron alloy ...