Osprey - General Military - Knight - The Warrior and ... - Brego-weard

iblical subjects in contemporary clothing and war-gear, this did not stop them from
inserting old-fashioned, exotic or fantastical elements into their work, particularly
when the subject was the foreigner or the 'bad guy' (often the two were synonymous).
Nor did it prevent them from drawing on earlier images as templates, copying not
just the artistic style but also the archaic equipment depicted. Many 11th- and early
12th-century depictions of war use ninth- and tenth-century manuscript illuminations
as their exemplars. Nor should we assume that the artist had a clear idea of what he
was depicting. Although it would be wrong to think of all medieval illustrators as
monks shut away in cloisters and completely oblivious to the outside world, not every
illuminator would have had the time, opportunity or inclination to make a detailed
study of armour. This, alongside the limitations of the medium and of the artistic styles
of the time, means that it can be difficult to discern exactly what is being depicted.
Brasses, effigies and other sculpture are more revealing, particularly since they
depict their subject in the round and in meticulous detail. There are still limitations.
How, for example, are we to interpret pieces of plate armour on late 12th- and
13th-century effigies? Are they iron defences or
made from cuir bouilli — hardened leather? What are
we to make of the stiffened shoulders on some
sculptures of knights from the mid- 13th century?
Are they an indication of padding to offer protection
or are they merely stiffened as a fashion statement
to emphasize the breadth of the shoulders? The
question of dating is no easier than with a manuscript
illustration. Very often the identity of the individual
who lay beneath the monument is impossible to
ascertain. The painted heraldic arms which once
would have adorned his shield are all too often lost to
the rigours of time or the puritanism and whitewash
of the Reformation or Victorians. Even where we are
able to identify the subject, a number of questions
still face us. Effigies are rarely portraits of the
deceased; only the most prestigious figures, such
as Edward Ill's son Edward the Black Prince,
warranted such specialist treatment. Instead
sculptors produced effigies according to workshop
patterns in response to contracts like the one written
in 1419 that simply required that the effigy be made
to represent 'an esquire, armed at all points'. ~mmmmmmm
ARMS AND ARMOUR •*}*•
Knights in combat from the
15th-century Beauchamp
Pageant. In contrast to the
knights on the Bayeux
Tapestry these men are
encased in plate amour
and ride horses covered in
cloth and plate housings.
(The Art Archive)
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