About this artwork
This court sword, with its heavily gilded silver hilt, mother-of-pearl grip and gold inlayed blade, was intended for presentation to a diplomatic, civic, or military leader for ceremonial wear at court. It represents the final development of the eighteenth civilian smallsword, with its characteristic short blade and downturned kidney-shaped guard—design features meant to make it less inhibiting to wear or less damaging to fine silk clothing.
The reverse side of the guard is engraved with the name and address of Napoleon Bonaparte’s official goldsmith, Martin-Guillaume Biennais of Paris. Biennais was responsible for executing gold and silver table wear, furniture, and even weapons for the Emperor and his court, much of which was designed by the architect Charles Percier. Watercolor drawings attributed to Percier for a nearly-identical hilt design—complete with flanking winged horses, laurel leaves, and other classical ornaments—are preserved in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. These motifs reference the trappings of the ancient Roman empire to draw allusions to Napoleon and his rule.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Applied Arts of Europe
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Artist
- Martin-Guillaume Biennais (Maker)
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Title
- Court Sword and Scabbard
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Place
- Paris (Object made in:)
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Date
- 1805–1815
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Medium
- Silver, gilding, steel, mother-of-pearl, wood, leather, and textile
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Dimensions
- H.: 98 cm (38 5/8 in.)
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Credit Line
- Bessie Bennett Major Acquisitions Endowment Fund; through prior acquisition of the George F. Harding Collection
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Reference Number
- 2018.371a-b
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/244009/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.
