Medžioklinis durklas su Lenkijos ir Lietuvos herbais

ENThis article presents an analysis of a hunting sword from the 1720s kept in the Culture, Art and History Collection of the National Museum - Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. The author seeks to discover what such weapons were used for, what is depicted on the object’s handle and who could have been its owner. For a long time, until the 19th century, hunting was not imaginable without the hunting sword, or hanger, better known by its German name Hirschfänger (“Deer-killer”). The popularity of this particular kind of weapon was determined by its practical quality allowing the injured animal to be killed without harming the hunting dogs, something which was often a problem when hunting with firing weapons. From the 18th century, these kinds of weapons started being richly decorated with precious gemstones, the handles would be made from fragile materials, such as ivory and deer bone, which is why the hunting sword ultimately beca me an accessory among magnates, rather than serving its initial practical purpose. One side of this particular hunting sword featured the Lithuanian Vytis and the Polish Eagle coat of arms, on the other is a young male with a laurel wreath on his head. The production period of the hunting sword suggests that the person depicted on the handle might have been Augustus II or his son Frederick Augustus, who later went by the title of Augustus III. Both rulers were known for their love of hunting, and for organising related entertainment dining which hunting swords were used. Even though it is difficult to discern any resemblance between the riders and the figure on the sword, often when creating such an image the master tried to reflect the person’s status rather than their external characteristics. The weapon might not have belonged to either of the rulers, but simply reflected one or the other’s passion for hunting.