Rapier
dated 1560
Medium
Steel, iron, gold
Dimensions
L. 34 1/2 in. (87.6 cm); L. of blade 27 1/8 in. (68.9 cm); W. 6 in. (15.2 cm); Wt. 2 lb. 14. oz. (1304.1 g)
Classification
Swords-Hunting
Culture
Italian, Milan
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Col. Wickliffe P. Draper, 1972
Accession Number
1973.27.2
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of Renaissance Italy with this exquisite rapier, crafted in 1560 by the Milanese master Daniele da Serravalle. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms and Armor Department, this hunting sword exemplifies the pinnacle of 16th-century Italian swordsmithing. Measuring 34½ inches overall with a 27⅛-inch steel blade, it weighs just under 3 pounds, balancing lethal precision with elegant design—perfect for noble pursuits like hunting wild boar or fencing in aristocratic circles. Milan, a renowned hub of arms production during the Renaissance, produced weapons tha...