Double-Barreled Wheellock Pistol Made for Emperor Charles V (reigned 1519–56)
ca. 1540–45
Medium
Steel, gold, wood (cherry), staghorn
Dimensions
L. 19 3/8 in. (49.2 cm); L. of upper barrel 10 in. (25.4 cm); L. of lower barrel 7 5/8 in. (19.4 cm); Cal. of each barrel .46 in. (11.7 mm); Wt. 5 lb. 10 oz. (2550 g)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols-Wheellock
Culture
German, Munich
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913
Accession Number
14.25.1425
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite double-barreled wheock pistol, crafted around 1540–45 by Munich gunsmiths Ambrosiuslich and Peter Peck, made for Emperor Charles V, the powerful Holy Roman Emperor whose reign1519–56) spanned Europe’s turbulent Renaissance era. Weighing a hefty 5 pounds 10 ounces, with steel barrels of 10 and 7⅝ inches, it exemplifies early modern firearms technology. The wheellock mechanism innovative pyrotechnic ignition using a spinning wheel to strike flint—was a leap forward from matchlocks, enabling reliable firing even on horseback, ideal for the emperor’s hunting pursuits. Luxuriously a...