The three lions, masterfully embossed in low relief, refer to the heraldic arms of the shield's owner, who unfortunately is not identified. Since the shield is recorded as having come from Spain in the early nineteenth century, its owner was undoubtedly a Spanish nobleman. Cuts across the surface of the lions indicate that the shield saw active use, most likely in a tournament on foot.
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Artwork Details
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Title:Shield
Date:ca. 1560
Geography:Landshut or Augsburg
Culture:German, Landshut or Augsburg
Medium:Steel, gold
Dimensions:Diam. 22 1/4 in. (56.5 cm); Wt. 7 lb. 2 oz. (3232 g)
Classification:Shields
Credit Line:Rogers Fund, 1904
Accession Number:04.3.283
Real Armería, Madrid (1594–before 1840); [sale, Ancient Armour and Arms recently received from Spain sale, Christie & Manson, London, February 26, 1840, no. 62, “An iron-spiked shield, embossed with three lions rampant”]; [Samuel Pratt, London, until 1841; Gothic Hall sale, Oxenham’s, London, April, 29–May 1, 1841, no 401]; Ralph Bernal, London (until d. 1854; his estate sale, Christie & Manson, London, March 5–April 30, 1855, no. 2714 to Londesborough); Albert Denison, 1st Lord of Londesborough, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England (1855–d. 1860; by descent to his son, the 1st Earl of Londesborough); William Henry Forester Denison, 1st Earl of Londesborough, (1860–88; Armour and Arms…of the Right Hon. Earl of Londesborough, Christie, Manson & Woods, July 4–9, 1888, no. 145, sold to Dino); Charles Maurice Camille de Talleyrand-Périgord, Duc de Dino, Paris (1888–1904; sold to MMA).
Christie, Manson & Woods. A Catalogue of ... Armour and Arms: Recently Received from Spain ... Also ... Bronze and Marble Busts and Figures. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, February 26, 1840. no. 62.
Oxenham & Sons. Ancient Armour and Arms, Celebrated As the Gothic Armoury, Cap-a-Pie Suits of Knights' Armour, Engraved Tilting Suits, Indian Armour and Arms, Together with the Remainder of the Paraphernalia of the Grand Tournment at Eglinton. London: Oxenham & Sons, April 29–May 1, 1841. no. 401, pl. 2.
Christie, Manson & Woods. Illustrated Catalogue of the Distinguished Collection of Works of Art and Vertu from the Byzantine Period to that of Louis Seize, Collected by the late Ralph Bernal, Esq.. London: Christie's, London, March 5–April 30, 1855. p. 232, no. 2714, ill. opp. p. 222.
Fairholt, Frederick, and Thomas Wright. Miscellanea graphica: representations of ancient, medieval, and renaissance remains in the possession of Lord Londesborough. London: Chapman and Hall, 1857. pl. XLIII.
Cosson, Charles Alexander. Le Cabinet d'Armes de Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Duc de Dino. Paris: E. Rouveyre, 1901. pp. 15–16, no. A6, pl. 4 (described and illustrated with an armor made for the court of Spain).
Laking, Guy Francis, Sir, Charles Alexander Cosson, and Francis Henry Cripps-Day. A Record of European Armour and Arms Through Seven Centuries. Vol. III. London: G. Bell and Sons, 1920. p. 310, fig. 1068 (called "probably the work of Desiderius Kolman of Augsburg about 1550").
Cripps-Day, Francis Henry. A Record of Armour Sales, 1881–1924. London: G. Bell and Sons, 1925. p. 13, fig. 2 (called "probably by Desiderius Colman...").
Norman, A. V. B. "Amendments and Additions to the Catalogue of Armour in the Wallace Collection, London." The Journal of the Arms & Armour Society (1972), pp. 198–99.
Wallace Collection and A.V.B. Norman. European Arms and Armour Supplement. Wallace Collection Catalogues. London: Printed for the Trustees by Balding + Mansell, 1986. p. 67.
Christie, Manson & Woods. Collection of Armour and Arms, Carvings in Ivory. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, July 4–6 and July 9–11, 1888. no. 145.
Igina, Yulia. "A Young General by Van Dyck and Pieces of Italian Armours Decorated in the Jorg Sorg Style: On Description and Attribution." The Journal of the Arms & Armour Society (September 2021), pp. 447–48.
Igina, Yulia. "The Armour of a Young General by Van Dyck, and Associated Objects." Heavy Metal: Acciaio, Oro e Polvere da Sparo nel Museo delle Armi "Luigi Marzoli" di Brescia (2022), p. 111.
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