Cane
The shillelagh is a traditional walking stick of Ireland, associated with folklore and given as a symbol of coming of age to young men. Also modified and used as a protective weapon, the shillelagh was carried by men to use against rival factions that might meet during public events. The thorny vines of this example are attractively interwoven around the gnarled shaft with a polished root handle. While decorative, it is easy to see how such an instrument could be utilized to exact a painful wound.
Artwork Details
- Title: Cane
- Date: late 19th century
- Culture: Irish
- Medium: wood, metal
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. C. T. Dotter, 1925
- Object Number: 2009.300.1092
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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