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Source Description
The hilt, pommel, and guard of this sword are richly chiseled in low relief against a stippled gold background with animals (dogs, a stag, ducks) that appear to be adapted from paintings by Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686–1775). An elegant court sword such as this was an important accessory to a gentleman's attire, yet remained functional—it could be withdrawn for an impromptu duel.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
95327
label
Small Sword
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
95327
contentType
object
title
Small Sword
description
The hilt, pommel, and guard of this sword are richly chiseled in low relief against a stippled gold background with animals (dogs, a stag, ducks) that appear to be adapted from paintings by Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686–1775). An elegant court sword such as this was an important accessory to a gentleman's attire, yet remained functional—it could be withdrawn for an impromptu duel.
date
c.1750–60
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60779758
creators
1949
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 105.4 cm (41 1/2 in.); Blade: 87.9 cm (34 5/8 in.); Guard: 7.9 cm (3 1/8 in.)
cul
France, Paris
accession
1916.1094
Source extras
tec
steel, gilt and russeted, copper, wood
tombstone
Small Sword, c.1750–60. After a design by Jean-Baptiste Oudry (French, 1686–1755). Steel, gilt and russeted, copper, wood; overall: 105.4 cm (41 1/2 in.); blade: 87.9 cm (34 5/8 in.); guard: 7.9 cm (3 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance, 1916.1094
collection
MED - Arms & Armor
didYouKnow
Although fully functional, this sword was used more for show—a perfect accessory for a fashionable gentleman having his portrait painted.
citations
citation
<em>Catalogue of Arms and Armour</em>. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], 1900.
page_number
cat. no, 491
citation
Gilchrist, Helen Ives. <em>A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923</em>. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 134, E108
citation
Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998.
page_number
pp. 119, 169; cat. no. 139,
citation
Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007.
page_number
cat. no. 196, p. 192
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:06:42.267000
sourceId
95327
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Arms & Armor
med
steel, gilt and russeted, copper, wood
creatorTags
male
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
e9ca7414e752810f