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IRONS AND OTHER METALS

EQUESTRIAN ART

Pair of bronze stirrups. Portugal. 18th - 19th century.


Exceptional pair of “box” type stirrups, or baú -in Portuguese-, made in bronze, with the representation of a woman with curly hair, jug-shaped arms, and a dress with a generous neckline and wide pleated skirt.


Measures. Height: 15 cm. Opening: 12.6cm. Depth: 17.5cm. Weight of both: 1186 + 1443 gr.


The box or trunk-type stirrups -in some variants called half bushel-, were widely used by the cowboy riders of the Iberian Peninsula -Spain and Portugal-, thus avoiding the risks of goring the wild cattle, or in wars protecting themselves from the enemy's spears. There were wooden ones with iron fittings, all made of iron and also bronze. This pair has a beautiful plastic resolution with the anthropomorphic representation and scallops, which also decorate the flap that covers the axis where they are attached to the footrest or ation.


Regarding the cultural identity of the woman represented, given the possibility of being an Afro-descendant, the specialist Norbeto Pablo Cirio replied that the figure is used in Portuguese-Galician iconography, an Indian. Surely of Portuguese origin, this pair of stirrups came to us with an indication of their Brazilian origin.



S.O.XVIII-IMM

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