Key with barrel shank
c. 1600 - c. 1699
Medium
iron (metal)
Dimensions
4.2; 12.8
About this artwork
lengte 12,8 cm x breedte 4,2 cm
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 17th-century craftsmanship with this intriguing *Key with Barrel Shank*, an anonymous iron artifact dating from around 1600 to 169. Measuring a compact 12.8 cm in length and 4.2 cm in width, its sturdy form features a distinctive barrel-shaped shank—the long stem connecting the bow (handle) to the bit (the toothed end). Forged from iron, a durable and abundant metal of the era, this key exemplifies the blacksmith's art, where functionality met everyday necessity. In the Baroque age of Europe, such keys were essential for securing homes, workshops, and public buildings a...
About the Artist
anonymous
In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...