Flintlock Wender Pistol 1625 - 1675

Claude Cunet crafted this Flintlock Wender Pistol around the mid-17th century. Guns, of course, aren't typically considered art. But objects like this reveal so much about their time. Looking at its design, we see wealth and power on display, suggesting that it was owned by someone of high status. Made in France, during Louis XIV's reign, the pistol reflects the era’s emphasis on luxury goods for the elite. Socially, it represents a time of increasing centralization of power, where the nobility depended on the King's favor. The craftsmanship indicates a robust guild system, where artisans like Cunet held considerable influence. To fully understand an object like this, we turn to sources like guild records, royal inventories, and even literature from the period. Only then can we begin to understand how art and social history are inextricably linked.