Scarf Sword
c. 1660
Medium
Steel, brass, silver, gilding, and wood
Dimensions
92.7 × 7.6 cm (36 1/2 × 3 in.)
Classification
edged weapon-sword
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
229093
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Short, stout, and designed with a minimal guard, this early form of smallsword was highly fashionable throughout northern and central Europe by the middle of the 17th century. The form has been called a scarf sword for the elaborate silk-embroidered scarf-like belts or baldrics from which these delicate swords were suspended.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...