Grand Master Order of St. John

Hi Guys

Just thought I would show you all the figure I have just finished over the christmas holiday... This is Fabrizio del Carretto Grand Master of the Order of St. John 1513 - 1521. This has been an absolute beauty to build and paint, I am open for some comments I realy like to hear what you guys think....







All comments are welcome :lol:

Hey Dave,

This one is super. I like it very much.
I think you did a wonderfull job on the base. It is a one of a kind base.
Where do you get it?????
How do you made the nameplate????

Marc

Hi Marc

I made the base from a peice of Rosewood I had spare, and the name plate is painted on paper.... hope thats Ok fopr you sorry the base is not commercial

Dave

EXCELLENT job Dave. I really like this figure and it seems you have beaten me out of the gate. Interesting that you chose black instead of the white. I chose the white and have failed miserably several times. It's really frustrating not being able to paint a beautiful figure. Not the case with yours though. Great job. Do you have any larger photos? I'd like to see it closer if you don't mind .

Thanks,
Jim Patrick

Hi Jim

I could post a couple of bigger ones tomorrow if thats OK

Dave

....

hi dave, just great. will you share the colour mix to get the black. thanks dave.

I think you've done a fantastic job on this figure. I've seen this Pegaso figure done up in Teutonic livery but its not nearly as striking as yours.
The base really is a spectacular job and frames this piece wonderfully. I really like the fact that you used an actual figure from history's livery on his shield.

I do have a question as to why you chose the dates and livery though.
Why have you chosen to portray a 16th c. grand master in the arms(weapons), armor and livery of a late 13th or early 14thc. knight?

The black surcoat was usualy reserved for laymen preists or civilian dress of the order and the fighting surcoat previously used by knights and other soldiers of the order was changed in 1278 to have the military members where a red surcoat. (Previous to this all had worn black then it was changed in 1259 to knights had worn red and serjants etc, wore black. In an effort to maintain unity in the order the Pope recinded the papal bull and gave writ for the switch to redin 1278.)

By the 16thc. The Order of St. John was wearing the best europe had to offer. The early 16thc. painting by Pinturicchio of Alberto Aringhierre in the Chapel of St. John the Baptist in Siena Italy is a great illustration of the use of contemporary armor and the red livery. Several manuscript paintings also reflect this.

Regards,
Mike

Hey Dave,

Very well painted figure. The base is also very well done.

regards

Boy does that look great. I was going to comment how nice the blacks look, but really everything looks superb.

Hi Mike

In answer to your question I have included an image of Fabrizio del Carretto taken from a painting of the man himself, as for the armour I had research done at the museum of the order of St. John at St John’s Gate in London, and you were right about the armour being from the 16th century but from about 1525 plate amour was being used by most but leather armour was still being used. Yes there was plate armour in the crusades, as they have some very good examples.

As far as the black is concerned surely the painting I have included would show him in red as you propose or in livery of the period and as he was a grand master then this would show him to be wearing the black, but I have taken the the black as the finished colour for the figure But today even the Queen still wears the black cloak on official business for the order of st. john...

but surely at the end of the day none of us were there and a little bit of artistic lisence is allowed.

Dave

Niace Figure and a nice ground work

Congratulations....

ER