These parade shields held at the Victoria and Albert Museum are 16th-century decorative pieces. Fashioned from beechwood, each shield spans a diameter of 67 cm. The choice of beechwood, known for its resilience and flexibility, underpins the skilful crafting techniques applied. The surfaces of the shields bear a coating of gesso, white paint material, presenting a neutral base for the detailed depiction of Roman scenes.
The artwork on the shields illustrates a unique era in Rome's historical timeline. The represented stories canvass Roman myths, political dynamics and displays of bravery. They integrate grandeur scenes and everyday settings. The artist used shell gold, a gold dust variant commonplace in illuminated scripts, to highlight central characters and amplify specific scenarios.
Details are further emphasised with the incorporation of a colour palette comprising of mineral and vegetable pigments, such as azurite, malachite, and vermilion. These pigments create a spectrum of colours, suitable for capturing the varied nuances within the Roman landscape and the luxuriant clothing of characters portrayed.
The shields, importantly, were not designed for battlefields, but as emblematic of prestige and wealth. Displayed during parades or hung on estate walls, they were explicit indicators of the owner's reverence for art, contextual understanding and prominent social standing.
