Miquelet Pistol
ca. 1790–1807
Medium
Steel, gold, wood (walnut)
Dimensions
Caliber, .665 in, (16.89 mm) Weight, 1 lb. 12 oz. (800 g) Length, 14 11/16 in. (37.31 cm) Length of barrel, 8 13/16 in. (22.38 cm)
Classification
Firearms-Pistols
Culture
Spanish, Barcelona
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1937
Accession Number
37.154.5
Art Historical Context
Step into the Arms and Armor gallery at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the *Miquelet Pistol* (ca. 1790–1807) showcases the masterful gunsmithing of Barcelona, Spain. Crafted by Llorens Torrens and Jacinto Jaumeandreu, this pistol exemplifies the late flintlock era, named for its distinctive "miquelet" lock mechanism—a Spanish innovation popular from the 17th to 19th centuries. Originating in Catalonia, these firearms were favored by miquelet irregular troops during the Napoleonic Wars and by civilians for self-defense, blending rugged functionality with regional pride. The pistol's con...
About the Artist
Llorens Torrens|Jacinto Jaumeandreu (Spanish|Spanish) · 1793 |1725 –1824 |1832
Spanish, Catalonia, active 1793–1824|Spanish, Catalonia, active about 1750–1807