Highlights From The Wallace Collection: European Armoury III

Ah, The Wallace Collection! Even as I contemplate only tackling the highlights, including the European Armoury III, the vastness of this collection overwhelms me and I know that it is a practically impossible task.

Still, today I am in London and, after a long, long time, have returned to my favorite museum. Although I do love a good museum and have been fortunate enough to have browsed through many a fine collection, The Wallace Collection is firmly at the top of my list. So I am certainly not going to let a little thing like whittling the collection down to a select few get me down. And so, I begin.

European Armoury III

This armoury contains 16th to 19th century armor including swords, very ornate guns, a cannon and various suits of armor.

Artisans cast the Italian cannon barrel (1688) in bronze using the lost wax process. They first sculpted a model in clay, created a mold, and produced a replica in wax. After covering the wax replica in clay and firing it in a kiln, the melted wax left behind a mold for pouring molten bronze, which produced the final product as a precise replica of the original sculpture. The barrel depicts classical figures, including Jupiter and Hercules.

Craftsmen in Venice produced this armory artwork, and reports suggest that workers dredged it from the Venice Lagoon.

Artisans carved the carriage much later, dating it to 1853–54. They crafted it from walnut and added gilding to the decorative details, including shields depicting the Demidoff arms.

Italian armorers created the fine cuirassier armor displayed in this gallery, likely for a high-ranking member of the Savoy ruling house. The armor features diamond panels, Savoyard knots, trophies, coronets, floral designs, and clasped hands symbolizing friendship.

The reference of ‘cuirassier‘ refers primarily to the ‘cuirass’ the large breast and back plates of the armour. In England the use of the large sets of articulated plates that make up the full body armour sometimes earned the wearers the nickname ‘lobster’ as it gave the wearer the appearance of a large crustacean.

Despite perhaps somewhat humorous appearances, this type of armour was worn for battle from the fifteenth century through to the seventeenth century against both sword and firearms.

Good To Know

See some of the other rooms in The Wallace Collection or explore another of my favorite museums:

• The Smoking Room
• The 16th Century Gallery
• The East Gallery II
• National Museum of Beirut
• Questacon, for the kids
• National Gallery of Australia

Would I Return?

Yes. An absolute, unequivocal yes.