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.

The Italian cannon barrel (1688) is cast bronze using the lost wax process where a model was first sculpted in clay, a mould taken and a replica produced in wax. The wax was then covered in clay and fired in a kiln where the wax melted away leaving another mould into which molten bronze could be poured producing the final product as a replica of the original sculpture. The classical figures depicted include Jupiter and Hercules.

This armory artwork was produced in Venice and is said to have been dredged from the Venice Lagoon.

The carriage which is dated much later (1853-4) Is made from carved walnut and features gilding of the decorations including shields depicting the Demidoff arms.

The fine curiassier armor in this gallery is also Italian, believed to have been produced for a high ranking member of the Savoy ruling house. The armor is decorated with diamond panels, Savoyard knots, trophies, coronets, flora and clasped hands representing 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.