Bit Boss

The central part of this bit boss is adorned with a Roman battle among horsemen and foot soldiers, as well as a nude man wrestling with two lions. Above them, a sun in splendor appears among the clouds. It has been cast in bronze and gilded, some details having being added by chasing, like the hairs on the horses' coats or the stippled backgrounds.

The composition is probably based on a bronze plaquette, The Lion Hunt, made by Moderno (Galeazzo Mondella), ca. 1500 (see 18.70.5). German bronze founders would regularly use Italian medals or plaquettes as models for their works, including bosses, like this one, which decorated the sides of horse bits. They also produced similar decorative elements for powder flasks, staff weapons or even pistols. This Lion Hunt type was among the most popular designs, and could be combined with different types of rims (see also 42.50.180 and 42.50.178).