Saturday, August 25, 2007

A Knight's Tale

knight in armour


2 knight images, each holding banners


knight with banner


2 images of knights


court scene - king, knights and jester


pious medieval maidens


reclining knight in armour


knight on pedestal


2 images of knights surrounded by grotesques


2 images of knights striking poses


2 images of posing knights


2 images of knights on grotesque platforms


two images of knights posing on platforms


2 images of camp-looking knights


Two knightly books from the National Library in Poland: The first half of the above illustrations are mid-19th century reprints of miniatures produced by the leading Polish artist of the Renaissance, Stanisław Samostrzelnik. They form a genealogical record of the noble family of Krzysztof Szydłowiecki (died 1532): 'Liber Geneseos Illustris Familiae Schidlovicie'.
[see: overview essay by Michael J. Mikoś about the Renaissance in Poland]


The second book is an important historical document in so far as it constitutes the first ever museum catalogue, and is arguably also the first arms collection to ever appear in print. Known as 'Armamentarium Heroicum', the book consists of 125 engravings by Dominicus Custos after drawings by Giovanni Battista Fontana in which the subjects are placed in highly embellished columnar alcoves festooned with grotesques, athletic putti, weapons, fruit and vines.

Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol was an avid collector of armour from famous military leaders and aristocracy which he installed in the Armoury of Heroes in Ambras Palace, near Innsbruck (in what is now Austria). The plates in the book each have facing biographical pages (worth seeing for the border decorations) by the Archduke's secretary, Jacob Schrenck von Notzing, but it's uncertain whether or not the illustrations show a true likeness to the original owners of the armour.

4 comments :

Karla said...

It is about time one saw athletic putti. I for one am fed up with imagery of fat putti swarming everywhere and cluttering up the scenery. Fat rabbits at least prompt visions of chocolate carrots. Then again, my aversion to putti is well known, if not often publicized.

Karla said...

(forgot to add that I didn't actually see any of the mentioned "athletic putti" here unless they were more mature than the average specimen...)

peacay said...

I think those musclebound critters scaling the columns bearing shields spears or otherwise looking like miniature wrestlers are putti, no?

Amy said...

pk, I was just on the Kunsthistorisches website yesterday, looking for the dimensions of an etching. Love your blog.

Post a Comment

Comments are all moderated so don't waste your time spamming: they will never show up.

If you include ANY links that aren't pertinent to the blog post or discussion they will be deleted and a rash will break out in your underwear.

Also: please play the ball and not the person.

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

 
Creative Commons License