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Door knocker

late 15th–early 16th century
Not on view
This iron door knocker in the shape of a dragon was probably made in Siena, for it is most closely related to such a prized accessory of the Sienese palazzo as the griffin-shaped banner holder on the Palazzo Grisoli. The dragon is in all likelihood not much later than the first quarter of the sixteenth century, since in knockers made later in that century the spontaneity of the earlier Sienese work seems to have been lost. Both dragon and griffin were constructed from an iron bar, rapidly bent into shape while hot from the forge. Separate pieces for wings and feet were then heated, drawn out, and attached to the bar with iron rivets. Finally, hammer and punch were used to supply the identifying features of the animals and to create a satisfying surface decoration, as, for example, the pattern of hammer blows on the dragon’s body that suggests its scales. These vivacious creatures demonstrate the strength and liveliness of form of the best work of the Tuscan Renaissance blacksmiths.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Door knocker
  • Date: late 15th–early 16th century
  • Culture: Italian, probably Siena
  • Medium: Iron
  • Dimensions: Overall: 14 1/4 × 5 7/8 in. (36.2 × 14.9 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork-Iron
  • Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1957
  • Object Number: 57.137.27a, b
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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