France / 1600s
Partisan
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Partisan as arms and armor (France · 1600s).
A partisan is a type of polearm that consisted of a spearhead mounted on a long shaft, usually wooden, with protrusions on the sides which aided in parrying sword thrusts.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this arms and armor as steel, gilt, etched and chiselled.
The museum's collection notes: The partisan, a staff weapon with a symmetrical head, was carried by infantry officers and members of princely bodyguards during the 1600s and 1700s. The large flat surface of the partisan was perfect for displaying coats of arms and with the addition of colorful velvet tassels, was a favored weapon of palace guards who would be splendidly outfitted.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPartisanOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.