Partisan
Unknown Artist
1600s
Medium
steel, gilt, etched and chiselled
Dimensions
h. 209.5 cm · blade: h. 32.4 cm
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Accession Number
1916.33
About this artwork
The partisan, a staff weapon with a symmetrical head, was carried by infantry officers and members of princely bodyguards during the 1600s and 1700s. The large flat surface of the partisan was perfect for displaying coats of arms and with the addition of colorful velvet tassels, was a favored weapon of palace guards who would be splendidly outfitted.