Engraved Powder Horn / Artist Unknown
About this Item
Record Details
- Accession Number
- 2007/1.101
- Title
- Engraved Powder Horn
- Artist
- Artist Unknown
- Medium and Support
- animal horn
- Object Creation Date
- 18th century
- Object Creation Place
- North and Central America (continent)
- United States (nation)
- Creation Place 1
- North and Central America (continent)
- Creation Place 2
- United States (nation)
- Dimensions
- 24 cm x 17 cm x 7 cm (9 7/16 in. x 6 11/16 in. x 2 3/4 in.)
- Century
- 18th century
- Primary Object Classification
- Arms and Armor
- Primary Object Type
- powder horn
- Secondary Object Classification
- Decorative Arts
- Physical Description
- Animal horn engraved with the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, in which a crowned lion and a chained unicorn supporting a shield stand above a banner with the motto “dieu et mon droit” (which directly translated from French means “God and my right” referring to the monarch’s divine right to govern which has been used as the motto of the British monarch since it was adopted by Henry V (1413-1422)). The shield consists of four quadrants: the first quadrant contains four lions, the second contains three fleurs de lis, the third contains a mermaid and a harp, the fourth contains three lions and a stag or dog-like animal. Surrounding the shield is a belt or garter upon which is emblazoned “Honi soit qui mal y pense” which means “evil unto they who think evil,” the motto of the Order of the Knights of the Garter, an ancient exclusive British order consisting of 25 members who were selected by the king of England. Near the base, the horn is engraved with a cityscape of Philadelphia from the harbor with numerous buildings, towers, boats and ships, and a man with a rifle shooting at a stag or lion in the distance.
- Subject Matter
- The provincial carved powder horn is an indigenous North American art form. Made from the cow, ox or buffalo horn, powder horns were commonly used with 18th century muskets to safely store gunpowder, and their polished surfaces often provided a canvas for a professional carver. This work is engraved with the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom and a cityscape of Philadelphia, symbolizing the position of Philadelphia in the early history of the founding of America.
- Secondary Keywords
- animal material
- descriptors
- geographic and political locations
- keratinous material
- materials
- materials by origin
- north and central america (continent)
- objects we use
- pennsylvania (state)
- united states (nation)
- visual works
- visual works by subject type
- weapons and ammunition
- Rights
- If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/about/services/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.
Technical Details
- Collection
- University of Michigan Museum of Art
- Image Size
- 2804 x 1688
- File Size
- 629 KB
- Record
- 2007/1.101
- Link to this Item
-
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2007-sl-1.101/2007_1.101.jpg
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- Full citation
-
"Engraved Powder Horn; Artist Unknown." In the digital collection University of Michigan Museum of Art. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-2007-sl-1.101/2007_1.101.jpg. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2024.