Staff Weapon
Unknown Artist
ca. 1590
Medium
Steel, leather, gold, textile
Dimensions
L. 41 1/2 in. (102.9 cm); L. of head 18 1/2 in. (47 cm); W. 10 in. (25.4 cm); Wt. 3 lbs. 4 oz. (1474.2 g)
Classification
Shafted Weapons
Culture
Italian
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1904
Accession Number
04.3.50
Art Historical Context
This elegant Staff Weapon, crafted in Italy around 1590, exemplifies the of Renaissance arms-making. Measuring over 41 inches in length with a substantial 18½-inch steel head, it features luxurious accents of gold, leather, and textile wrappings, blending deadly functionality with opulent decoration. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's and Armor Department (acquired via the Rogers in 1904), it reflects the era's mastery in forging weapons that served both battlefield and ceremonial roles. In late 16th-century Italy, shafted weapons like this one—possibly a partisan or ronca—were favore...