Representative Sword with Wrought and Carved Iron Fittings, Northern Italy, 1590-1620

Important representative sword, datable between 1590 and 1620, belonging to a high dignitary or member of an important noble family. The dating of the sword, in addition to the type of blade, can be determined thanks to some details which are still irrefutably influenced by "Mannerism", a style directly derived from the Renaissance and which lays the foundations for the subsequent Baroque style. In fact, the imitation of ancient models often inspired by classical art, the "serpentine" figure, or a way of representing the human body by contrasting the limbs in screw-like twists, which exalted the classic expedient of the contrapposto like never before, as well as the "gigantism" of the figures compared to narrow spaces, leaves no room for doubt. The pommel, of typical sixteenth-century style, and the hilt are entirely in wrought iron masterfully carved in the round in high relief, with some scenes relating to the 12 labors of Hercules, while on the guard are carved some symbols in the context of a direct and communicative expressive need.

Each of them, in addition to respecting the virtuosity of the figures, reports details and devices which convey to the observer the grandeur of the artifact making the sword a unique work. In light of this, therefore, it is plausible to trust in the concrete possibility that the client wanted to imagine himself, through this sword, as a man with a strong, courageous nature and who probably held an authoritarian role.

This is well defined by some symbols present beyond the scenes: the guard is in fact made depicting a "fascio" or "fasces" which, starting from ancient Rome, symbolizes authority and justice. At the ends of the guard there are skillfully carved two "rams' heads" which, in the Greek and Roman world, personified "Ubris" or strength.

In addition, on the guard there are 2 small shields, carved in bas-relief, in which 2 scenes from the Hercules cycle are clearly visible: "the killing of the centaur Nessus" who attempted to kidnap Deianira and the third labor of Hercules or "the capture of the Ceryneian Hind" a special doe for its golden horns and much loved by Artemis, goddess of the hunt. The scene in fact represents Hercules in the moment in which he fights with the doe, dominating it with his left knee and grabbing it with both hands by the horns.

The references to mythology and ancient classicism continue through the handle, defined by 2 round-decorated washers, masterfully carved in the round in high relief. The composition is made up of a succession of two scenes: the second of the twelve labours of Hercules, namely "the killing of the Lernaean Hydra" and "the fight in the Libyan desert between Hercules and the giant Antaeus".

The Hydra of Lerna, a monster with nine snake heads, is skillfully sculpted and the contortion movement is immediately perceived, also aided by the meticulously executed coils, which further give truth to the movement and credit to the scene.

In Hercules, the muscular tension is distinguishable and the execution has its culmination in the marked contour line, tense and elastic, in which it seems to capture all the bursting effort of the momentum. The anatomical rendering is accurate and aimed at highlighting the movement through position and muscles.

Following is the representation of the fight in the Libyan desert between Hercules and the giant Antaeus, son of Poseidon, god of the sea, and Gaea, goddess of the earth. Antaeus used to challenge all passers-by to kill them and collect their skulls, aided by the invincible strength that mother earth gave him at the simple contact. To defeat him, Hercules was then forced to lift him, depriving him of his source of strength and reducing him to a mere man. In the skilful scenic execution, the desperation that breaks out in the face and movements of Antaeus is well rendered, whose last bastion of salvation is to wriggle to try to free himself from Hercules' grip. The representation of the leonté of the Nemean lion, placed at Hercules' feet, is extraordinary, and features minute details that were only possible for the great master blacksmiths and sculptors of the time.

Of typical Italian style, also expertly sculpted in the round, is the "pomo" or "pomolo" in which Hercules is depicted defeating the centaurs: the rendering of the emphasis of the scene given by minute details which define the features and sculptural lines of the subjects considered in it is extraordinary.

The blade is relatively flexible, as is appropriate for blades from the late 1500s, and features 2 marks on each front made with the burin engraving technique, within which there are still traces of the gold originally set to highlight it. The flaking of the metal, a fundamental characteristic which must necessarily be present on ancient forged blades, is widespread on some parts of its surface.

During the 1500s and early 1600s there were many examples of iron sculpture aimed at classical art with the subject "Hercules". The armor of Emperor Maximilian II of Austria and King Erik XIV of Sweden stand out above all.

This sword represents a Masterpiece of the art of blacksmithing and sculpting forged iron.

References:

Hercules' Armor of Emperor Maximilian II of Austria. Made in 1555, it is now exhibited at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna: https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/the-hercules...

Hercules Armor of King Erik XIV of Sweden. Made in 1562, now exhibited in the Armoury of the Dresden State Art Collection: https://it.topwar.ru/181354-samye-krasivye-dospehi...

Hercules Armor of King Erik XIV of Sweden. Made in 1565, now exhibited in the Royal Armoury - Livrustkammarin, a museum at the Royal Palace in Stockholm: https://it.topwar.ru/181465-nacionalnye-dospehi-do...

Metropolitan Museum - Accession Number: 29.158.720a, b (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/23...)

Metropolitan Museum - Accession Number: 2010.165 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/35367)

Victorian Albert Museum - Accession number: 12832 (https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O676852/ornamen...)

Victorian Albert Museum - Accession number: 5408-1859 (https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O322426/sword-hilt-unknown/)

Victorian Albert Museum - Accession number: M.54-1947 (https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78601/sword-components-unknown/)

Victorian Albert Museum - Accession number: M.71-1947 (https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O69845/small-sword-ruis-antonio/)

The Cleveland Museum of Art - Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1894 (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1894)

The Cleveland Museum of Art - Norman O. Stone and Ella A. Stone Memorial Fund 1968.29 (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1968.29)

The Cleveland Museum of Art - Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.702 (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.702)

The Cleveland Museum of Art - Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1093 (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1093)

The Cleveland Museum of Art - Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1488 (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1488)

The Cleveland Museum of Art - Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1099 (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1099)

The Cleveland Museum of Art - Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1100 (https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1100)