Laternenschild mit Eisenhandschuh und einschiebbarer Stoßklinge

Mannerist artists had a weakness for unusual technical inventions. This shield, named after the oil lamp installed on its reverse, is an excellent example. The shield plays with the idea of a nocturnal fight, in which the bearer could use the lantern to blind an enemy. The shield is an attempt to conflate different fencing weapons into a single one. It combines a round shield, a long gauntlet, and a dagger. The long blade is an offensive weapon, as are the spikes in the centre of the shield and the gauntlet; the latter is worked like a sword-breaker with a jagged blade, as are the riveted, concentric bands on the shield.

The price for this sophisticated conceit is a loss of practicality. Despite its gimbal mounting, the instant the hand clutching the shield moves, the lamp will be snuffed out or the bearer will douse himself in scalding oil. Ingenious though highly impractical, the shield presumably functioned as a conversation piece.

The lantern shield belonged to Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria. In the inventory of his estate compiled after his death in 1596 it is described as ‘a round shield, lined with crimson silk and trimmed with silver and gold passementerie, with an inside lantern, silver and gilt, also a metal gauntlet lined with mail, and the gauntlet set with two spikes’ (Mer ain rundell, mit rotem sammet gefuetert auch mit silber und gulden passeman verbrämbt, hat inwendig ain luthern, silber und vergult, auch ain plechhandschuech, mit panzer ausgefuettert, und auf dem plechhendschuech sein 2 spücz).

In 1678, a similar shield formerly in the possession of Archduke Ernest was mentioned as being in the imperial armoury at Stallburg Palace in Vienna: ‘a black iron round shield with a serrated edge, together with an iron gauntlet, a lantern and a large blade, lined in crimson silk ... which Archduke Ernest brought back from Spain’ (ein schwarz eyserne zipflete rundeln, sambt einen daran gefügten eysernen handtschuech, wie auch einer latern und einer wehr klingen, mit rothen samet gefüedert … so erzherzog Ernst auß Hispanien mit gebracht).