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Title
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18th century German Crossbow
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Collection Location
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Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Date
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c. 1725–1735
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Location
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Dresden, Germany
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Description
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This crossbow has a steel prod with yellow-brown pom-poms attached to it and near the bridle binding. The walnut stock is inlaid with stag horn and ornately decorated with lively characters and designs. The top of the stock near the prod is engraved with leaf and floral pattern. Similar patterns can be observed near the nut which is made of bone and under the bolt clip. There is an open-mouthed human face with a floral crown engraving near the transverse pins and the edges are carved with small images of dogs and trees. The top of the butt stock has a shell-shaped decoration followed by more floral patterns. The side of the stock is engraved with a crowned woman's face and plants hanging below her chin near the pom-poms. There appears to be the depiction of a coat of arms, displaying a lion's face within a diamond-shaped draping next to the nussfaden. Other engravings include a bow and arrow with a quiver full of arrows, what appears to be a dove, the top component of a carriage and curtains, and what is most likely the hunting goddess, Diana with a bow and arrow in front of a hound. It has an iron set trigger, trigger guard, and trigger.
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Source
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The Art Institute of Chicago
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Crossbow Top Measurements
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12.7 × 62.2 × 59.7 cm
