id:			95879
accession number:	1916.1561
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1561
updated:		2022-01-04 14:38:44.894000

Halberd, c. 1500–25. Germany (?), early 16th Century. Steel, quatrefoil piercing; wood haft (rectangular with planed corners); overall: 217.4 cm (85 9/16 in.); blade: 21.9 cm (8 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1561

title:				Halberd
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			c. 1500–25
creation date earliest:		1495
creation date latest:		1530
current location:		210A Armor Court
creditline:			Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
copyright:			

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culture:	Germany (?), early 16th Century
technique:	steel, quatrefoil piercing; wood haft (rectangular with planed corners)
department:	Medieval Art
collection:	MED - Arms & Armor
type:		Arms and Armor
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Overall: 217.4 cm (85 9/16 in.); Blade: 21.9 cm (8 5/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		European Arms and Armor from the Cleveland Museum of Art (Long-term Loan)
	opening date:   1993-07-01T04:00:00
	<i>European Arms and Armor from the Cleveland Museum of Art (Long-term Loan)</i>. Birmingham Museum of Art (organizer) (July 1, 1993-July 1, 1995).

	title:		Armor Court Reinstallation
	opening date:   1998-09-10T00:00:00
	<i>Armor Court Reinstallation</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	Frank Gair Macomber; Boston; cat. #64.
	date: 
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact: 
Halberds could vary in length but most are around 6.5 feet.

digital description: 


wall description: 
The halberd was a staff weapon favored by European infantries (foot soldiers) of the 1400s and 1500s for its versatility and deadly effect. The word halberd comes from the German words Halm (staff) and Barte (axe). The halberd is, in fact, an axe that served multiple functions: the axe blade was used for hacking, the spike for thrusting, and the beak for piercing plate armor or for pulling a knight from his saddle. The halberd was used by shock troops (those who lead an attack) and by Swiss and German mercenaries. After about 1550, the halberd gradually became less functional. Its large blade provided space for coats of arms and insignia. By the late 1500s, the parade halberd had become a ceremonial weapon for palace guards.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	<em>Catalogue of Arms and Armour.</em> Vol. 2, <em>16th century. </em>[Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915].
	page number: 	Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (64) 69
	url:		https://archive.org/details/CatArmsArmour2_201602/page/n234

	Gilchrist, Helen Ives. <em>A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms &amp; Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923</em>. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.
	page number: 	Mentioned: p. 192, H37
	url:		https://archive.org/details/SeveranceCollection1924/page/n277

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1561/1916.1561_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1561/1916.1561_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1561/1916.1561_full.tif