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Source Description
The rapier was a sword worn with civilian dress and used in duels. The term <em>rapier </em>derives from the 16th-century French word <em>rapière</em>, which in turn was derived from the Spanish <em>espada ropera</em>, or “dress sword.” The rapier was a light weapon with a straight double-edged and pointed blade that, with the development of the art of fencing in the 1500s and 1600s, gradually became narrower and lighter, and thus suitable for thrusts only. With the new technique of swordplay emphasizing the point of the blade, sword guards became more complex to protect the duelist’s unarmored hand. These elaborate guards were frequently decorated by various techniques—chiseling, bluing, russeting, and damascening.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
97040
label
Rapier
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
97040
contentType
object
title
Rapier
description
The rapier was a sword worn with civilian dress and used in duels. The term <em>rapier </em>derives from the 16th-century French word <em>rapière</em>, which in turn was derived from the Spanish <em>espada ropera</em>, or “dress sword.” The rapier was a light weapon with a straight double-edged and pointed blade that, with the development of the art of fencing in the 1500s and 1600s, gradually became narrower and lighter, and thus suitable for thrusts only. With the new technique of swordplay emphasizing the point of the blade, sword guards became more complex to protect the duelist’s unarmored hand. These elaborate guards were frequently decorated by various techniques—chiseling, bluing, russeting, and damascening.
date
c.1625–50
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60778318
creators
11431
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 144.8 cm (57 in.); Quillions: 22.5 cm (8 7/8 in.)
cul
Italy, Milan
accession
1916.695
Source extras
tec
steel; hilt russeted; wire grip
tombstone
Rapier, c.1625–50. Federico Picinino (Italian). Steel; hilt russeted; wire grip; overall: 144.8 cm (57 in.); quillions: 22.5 cm (8 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance, 1916.695
collection
MED - Arms & Armor
inscriptions
inscription
on ricasso: Federico Picinino
citations
citation
<em>Catalogue of Arms and Armour.</em> Vol. 2, <em>16th century. </em>[Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915].
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (83) 85
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. 110, E56; Reproduced: Plate XXIX, E56
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art, and Helen Ives Gilchrist. <em>Handbook of the Severance Collection of Arms and Armor</em>. 2d ed., 1948.
page_number
Reproduction: p. 39
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:13:36.389000
sourceId
97040
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Arms & Armor
med
steel; hilt russeted; wire grip
creatorTags
male
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
19dc7465b8ac09ea