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Crossbow (Halbe Rüstung) with Winder (Cranequin)

Johann Gottfried Hänisch the Elder

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image shows a crossbow with a winder, also known as a cranequin. The crossbow has a stock made of intricately carved ivory or bone with gold accents; the stock is decorated with various patterns and designs along its length. A dark-colored metal trigger mechanism is visible on the side. The limbs of the crossbow are made of dark metal and have four wheels or rollers attached. A mechanical device, likely the cranequin or winder, is attached to the stock; this device has a small handle. The background is a gradient from dark gray at the top to light gray at the bottom, with the crossbow casting a shadow on the surface below.

Artwork Details

Date
dated 1742
Medium
Steel, wood, staghorn, copper alloy, hemp, wool, gold, iron alloy
Culture
German, Dresden
Dimensions
600 × 454 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette