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Ceremonial sword with scabbard (blade late medieval period, hilt and scabbard around 1560)

Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien

Ceremonial sword, possibly intended for use in funeral processions. The black velvet scabbard and imperial eagle-head quillons suggest it may have been carried during the funeral ceremonies of Emperor Ferdinand I in 1564.

Type: sword, ceremonial weapon, possibly funeral weapon

Origin: Blade: Passau (?); hilt and scabbard: Netherlands

Material: Iron, silver, wood, velvet, brass

Technique: Forging, casting, fire gilding, engraving, punching, brass damascening

Decoration: Pommel of four angel heads; grip with male and female heads within strapwork; guard with a lion's head and eagle-head quillons; locket with two serpents, a Medusa head, a scorpion and two lizards; chape with a lion's head, Bellona and an angel head.

Marks: Passau Wolf and a left-parted shield in brass damascening on both sides of the blade; unidentified goldsmith's mark on the crossguard

Accessories: Black velvet-covered wooden scabbard with fire-gilt silver locket and chape

Watch crafted by Nicholas Vallin of London, circa 1600

Gilded and etched comb morion from Nuremberg, Germany, circa 1580

Roman corner of a sarcophagus showing the satyr Marsyas hanging from a pine tree, about to be flayed alive as punishment for losing a musical contest to Apollo

210 - 230 CE

A fantastic grotesque Sallet in the form of a dragon, attributed to Lorenz and Kolman Helmschmid,

Length: 18.2 in/46.2 cm

Width: 10 in/25.5 cm

Height: 8.7 in/22.1 cm

Weight: 5.6 lbs/2520 g

A pair of beautifully etched and pierced gauntlets which belonged to Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, attributed to Lorenz Helmschmid,

Length: 15.9 in/40.5 cm

Width: 3.9 in/10 cm

Weight (each): 1.1 lbs/520 g

The Abduction of Europa by Jean Cousin the Younger (c. 1570)

Europa was a beautiful Phoenician princess. One day, Zeus fell in love with her and transformed himself into a gentle white bull. Europa climbed onto the bull's back, and he carried her across the sea to the island of Crete. There, Zeus revealed his true form, and Europa became the first queen of Crete. She later gave birth to three sons, including Minos, who became the legendary king of Crete. The continent of Europe is traditionally said to be named after her.

The famous dolphin Burgonet of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, attributed to Kolman Helmschmid,

Length: 13.5 in/34.4 cm

Width: 7.4 in/18.8 cm

Height: 9.8 in/25 cm

Weight: 3.8 lbs/1705 g

Embossed comb morion, France, circa 1550

The androgynous Rebis, fulfilment of the Opus Minor, is ‘abducted’ into the sky by the eagle, symbol of the ‘Sulphur’ signifying the highest degree of the Hermetic Imperator. At his feet lie the ravens ‘precipitated’ from the preliminary Nigredo.

Miniature of the Aurora Consurgens, 14th century. Zentralbibliothek Zurich, Cod. Rhenovacensis

Sebastiano Venier

Artist: Jacopo Robusti (Tintoretto) (Italian, (1518-1594)

Date: Shortly after 1571

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria

Description

Sebastiano Venier (1496–1578) was commander of the Venetian fleet at the Battle of Lepanto. This portrait is intended to remind us of the great service he performed in this decisive victory of the allied fleets of Venice, Spain and Holy See over the Turks in 1571.

Hand and a half sword, German or Swiss, circa 1550-1580