Glaive of the Bodyguard of Giovanni Battista Bourbon del Monte (1541–1614)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1590–1600
Medium
Steel, wood, brass, gold, textile
Dimensions
L. 108 3/4 in. (276.23 cm); L. of head (excluding straps) 35 in. (88.9 cm); L. of blade 30 1/2 in. (77.47 cm); greatest W. 6 1/4 in. (15.88 cm); Wt. 6 lb. (2722 g)
Classification
Shafted Weapons
Culture
Italian, Brescia
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1904
Accession Number
04.3.88
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of Renaissance Italy with the *Glaive of the Bodyguard of Giovanni Battista Bourbon del Monte (1541–1614)*, a formidable shafted weapon crafted around 1590–1600 in Brescia, a renowned hub for superior arms production. This glaive, standing over 9 feet tall with a 30½-inch steel blade, was wielded by elite bodyguards protecting the nobleman Giovanni Battista Bourbon del Monte, whose life spanned the turbulent late Renaissance. Brescia's smiths were famed for their innovative steelwork, blending functionality with the era's demand for grandeur amid Italy's fractious city-stat...