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Poleax

A work made of steel and oak.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of steel and oak.

Date:

c.1470—c.1520

Artist:

Western European, probably Italian

About this artwork

The poleax—so named whether it has an ax- or hammerhead—was designed to smash, break, or pierce through armor. It could be mounted either with a long or short staff. It was used in infantry battle, knightly tournaments, and judicial combat. The sharp hook, pronged hammerhead, and point on this poleax suggest it was intended for lethal purposes.

Status

On View, Gallery 239

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Title

Poleax

Place

Italy (Object Probably made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1450–1530

Medium

Steel and oak

Dimensions

H.: 167.6 cm (66 in.); Blade with socket: H.: 21.6 cm (8 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

George F. Harding Collection

Reference Number

1982.2337

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/106491/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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