Book

Physical description

Painting of design for armour, weapons, sword hilts, horses' bits bound with others in boards.

Place of Origin

Italy (printed)

Date

1554 (drawn)

Artist/maker

Filippo Orso (illustrator)

Materials and Techniques

Pen and ink

Dimensions

height: 41.9 cm, width: 28 cm

Descriptive line

Filippo Orsoni book of parade armour designs.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Lambert, Susan (ed.) Pattern & Design: Designs for the Decorative Arts 1480-1980 London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1983
The full text of the entry is as follows:

'1.5.a Filippo Orso (Orsoni) (active 1554)

Album containing 2 title-pages and 304 pages of designs for armour, weapons, sword hilts, horses' bits etc, bound in boards, the back missing.

Inscribed variously throughout.
E.1730 dated 1554. Pen and ink, or pen and ink and wash, with some yellow watercolour. Size of pages 41.9 x 28 cm
E.1725-2031--1929

Literature: J. Mann, 'The lost armoury of the Gonzagas', Archaeological Journal, 1938, 95, pp.239-236; J.F. Hayward, 'Mannerist sword hilt designs' Livruskammaren (Journal of the Royal Armoury, Stockholm), 1959, 8 pp.79-109; P. Ward-Jackson, Italian drawings, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1979, 1, no.212; D. Chambers and J. Martineau ed., Splendours of the Gonzaga, exhibition catalogue, V&A Museum, 1981, no.72.

The volume is open showing a sword hilt in gold and silver, E.1798-1929.

Very little is known about Orso. The first title-page of the volume implies that he was a painter not an armourer but similarities have been noticed between his designs and those believed to have been carried out by the Mantuan court armourer, Caremelo Modrone.

The interest of the volume in this context is the evidence that suggests that Orso intended to have the designs engraved to provide patterns for circulation but, unable to afford the engraver's fee, was reproducing them by copying by hand. The style and lay-out of the two title-pages with their bandwork cartouche and escutcheons are similar to engraved title-pages of the period. Two other copies of the album are known: one is in a private collection in Co. Limerick with 150 drawings of horse caparisons and bits, with few exceptions, the same as in this volume and another, even more similar, is in the Library at Wolfenbüttel. Some of the drawings are inscribed with descriptions of the function of the objects shown and others with comments on the merits of their design. While some of the designs show an impractical degree of fantasy, others might well have been made for use.'

Exhibition History

The Noble Art of The Sword: Fashion and Fencing in Renaissance Europe (The Wallace Collection 17/05/2012-16/09/2012)

Techniques

Illustration

Subjects depicted

Designs; Armour; Illustration; Pen

Categories

Metalwork; Drawings; Designs; Arms & Armour

Collection code

PDP