Artwork preview

Pellet and Bolt Crossbow

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The crossbow has a stock made of wood with gold inlays and a metal trigger mechanism. The stock is long and narrow, with a curved section near the front. A metal bolt or arrow rest is visible on the top of the stock. Two metal prongs protrude from the top of the stock near the curved section. A metal piece runs across the top of the curved section. Two metal pieces are on either side near the front of the curved section. The background is a gradient of dark gray to light gray. The crossbow is titled "Pellet and Bolt Crossbow" and the artist is unknown.

Artwork details

Date:
dated 1573
Medium:
Steel, wood (cherry, mahogany), staghorn, ivory (probably elephant)
Culture:
Northern Italian or French, probably Savoy
Dimensions:
599 × 467 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette