Ancient Shields, Footwear and Offensive Weapons, Hand Colored Lithograph, 1842

An original antique lithograph, hand colored, from the Galleria Universale di Tutti i Popoli del Mondo (Venice, Giuseppe Antonelli, 1842). The upper image is a study of objects. At top left is a silver gray crescent shaped piece with scrolled horns and a pointed finial. Below it is a curved oblong shield in brown and bronze, decorated with a winged thunderbolt with zigzag bolts around a central boss. At right are a lower leg bound in metal plates and straps over the bare foot, and a foot in a sandal laced with crossed straps up the ankle. The lower image shows four weapons laid out horizontally: a dagger with a green leaf shaped blade and a scrolled hilt, a spear with a green head and an ornamented butt, a spear with an iron barbed head and a decorated collar on a dark shaft, and a javelin with a green head and a looped thong tied to the shaft.

The lettering reads "Tom. IV" at upper left, "ITALIA" in the center and "Tav. 48" at upper right. The captions read "Scudi e Calzature" (Shields and Footwear) and "Armi offensive" (Offensive Weapons).

The winged thunderbolt is the device familiar from the curved shields of Roman legionaries, and a loop of cord tied to the shaft was used to give extra force when throwing a javelin.

A clean, diagrammatic plate that hangs well in a study or alongside other prints of arms and armor.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.