Alaric — King of the Visigoths

Larry Fuegen, Alaric - King of the Visigoths, 1998, crown stag deer antler with 14k gold, sterling silver, copper, buffalo horn, mammoth ivory, mother-of-pearl, sapphire fittings, Damascus steel, Prehnite mineral specimen, thuya wood burl, and walnut, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Leyden, 1998.132A-B, © 1998, Larry Fuegen
Copied Larry Fuegen, Alaric - King of the Visigoths, 1998, crown stag deer antler with 14k gold, sterling silver, copper, buffalo horn, mammoth ivory, mother-of-pearl, sapphire fittings, Damascus steel, Prehnite mineral specimen, thuya wood burl, and walnut, 11 1⁄4 x 11 3⁄8 x 5 5⁄8 in. (28.5 x 28.8 x 14.3 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Leyden, 1998.132A-B, © 1998, Larry Fuegen

Artwork Details

Title
Alaric — King of the Visigoths
Artist
Date
1998
Location
Dimensions
11 1⁄4 x 11 3⁄8 x 5 5⁄8 in. (28.5 x 28.8 x 14.3 cm)
Copyright
© 1998, Larry Fuegen
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Leyden
Mediums Description
crown stag deer antler with 14k gold, sterling silver, copper, buffalo horn, mammoth ivory, mother-of-pearl, sapphire fittings, Damascus steel, Prehnite mineral specimen, thuya wood burl, and walnut
Classifications
Subjects
  • History — Europe
  • Occupation — other — aristocrat
  • Dress — accessory — hat
  • Portrait male — Alaric — head
Object Number
1998.132A-B
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1998.132A-B

Artwork Description

The intricately carved handle of this knife shows the figure of Alaric, who led the Visigoths from the end of the fourth century into the beginning of the fifth. He and his troops plundered Greece, invaded Italy, and finally defeated Rome in 410 AD. Larry Fuegen used ancient materials, including buffalo horn, mammoth ivory, and deer antler, to create an image of the warrior that could have been made by an artisan traveling with the Visigoths. Fuegen crafted Alaric's helmet from silver and gold and used sapphire fittings for his staring eyes. He forges most of his blades from Damascus steel, a metal made from layers of hard and soft steel that are repeatedly turned and hammered until wavelike patterns appear on the surface.