Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Source Description
These large shields were used as movable walls to protect longbow archers as well as crossbowmen during sieges and pitched battles. Many were large enough to cover two men. The lower portion rested on the ground while the top was supported by a prop or the end of the crossbow. This type of shield was sometimes called a "pavise" because it originated in Pavia in northern Italy.The "pavise" bears traces of a black cross on the front: the arms of the Teutonic Knights. Indeed, it is said to come from Marienberg Castle in northern Poland, seat of this famous religious order until 1466.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
35179
label
Archer's Shield
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
35179
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Archer's Shield
description
These large shields were used as movable walls to protect longbow archers as well as crossbowmen during sieges and pitched battles. Many were large enough to cover two men. The lower portion rested on the ground while the top was supported by a prop or the end of the crossbow. This type of shield was sometimes called a "pavise" because it originated in Pavia in northern Italy.The "pavise" bears traces of a black cross on the front: the arms of the Teutonic Knights. Indeed, it is said to come from Marienberg Castle in northern Poland, seat of this famous religious order until 1466.
provenance
Ex-coll. Oscar Bondy, Vienna; Leopold Blumka Gallery, New York; Walters Art Museum, December 1969, by purchase.
date
mid 15th century (Late Medieval)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Arms & Armor
shields
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
127
height
54.3
depth
15.5
dimensionsRaw
50 x 21 3/8 x 6 1/8 in. (127 x 54.3 x 15.5 cm)
Source extras
med
wood, gesso, paint, leather, wrought iron, and linen
creator_ids
6521
15371
collection_ids
ARM
REN
BAR
exhibition_ids
2339
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
29d0ac31284059c3