Allemagne - Poire à poudre - XVIe siècle - Ivoire, bois et fer, 21 x 7,5 x 6,5 cm - Inv. 62 69 1
Powder flask
Powder flasks appeared at the time of the invention of the firearm (15th century). They were designed to contain gunpowder and were worn on the hunter's belt. Made of various materials (metal, wood, ivory, horn), they have various shapes and decorations. The most richly decorated gunpowder flasks have mythological or hunting scenes as their subject.
This ivory example has a delicately engraved decoration. The upper register illustrates a deer hunt with a stake, while the lower part shows three hunters (including a woman) with bows or a stake.
