Wheellock Rifle

CC0 Public Domain Designation

c. 1670

Elias Becker (German, Augsburg active 1633-1673)
Augsburg, Germany

This rifle’s eccentric design conveys a certain tension between rough and refined, natural and artificial, and—metaphorically—hunter versus hunted. Its antler-like stock is veneered with plaques of natural staghorn, sawn, cut, and shaped to the contours of a traditional German rifle. In extreme contrast, the stock’s cheek rest is mounted with a painted enamel depicting the Roman goddess of the hunt, Diana. Five similar rifles were produced for several dukes of Saxony and the king of Denmark, but this is the only one signed by the creative stock maker, Elias Becker, best known for his highly ornamental work; this austere yet inventive design is a surprising part of his oeuvre.

Status: On View, Gallery 239
Department: Applied Arts of Europe

Title: Wheellock Rifle
Place: Augsburg (Object 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.: c. 1665–1675
Medium: Steel, staghorn, cherry wood, beech wood, gilt brass, copper, and enamel
Inscriptions: Marked: EB (on stock)
Dimensions: W.: 105.5 cm (41 9/16 in.)
Credit Line: Through prior acquisition of the George F. Harding Collection
Reference Number: 2023.1324
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/267440/manifest.json

Gallerie Fischer, Waffensall des Schlosses Grafenegg, part 2 (Zurich, 2 May 1934): p. 21, lot 178.

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.

Suggested Terms

On View

Date:

Artist:

About this artwork

Status

Department

Title

Place

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.

Medium

Inscriptions

Dimensions

Credit Line

Reference Number

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.

Extended information about this artwork

Publication History

Share

Explore Further

Sign up for our enewsletter to receive updates.

Gallery actions

Image actions

Share

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.