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Archer's Shield

Anonymous (Austrian) (?)

Anonymous (Bohemian) (?)

mid 15th century (Late Medieval)

wood, gesso, paint, leather, wrought iron, and linen

50 x 21 3/8 x 6 1/8 in. (127 x 54.3 x 15.5 cm)

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.
Additional Information

Museum purchase with funds provided by the S. & A. P. Fund, 1969

51.1371

Centre Street: Third Floor: Islamic Arms & Armor

Bohemia (in present-day Czech Republic) (?)

Austria (?)


Provenance

Leopold Blumka Gallery, New York; Walters Art Museum, December 1969, by purchase.

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