Cossack Help Please!!

[Kevin D.]

Hi all, I have a Cossack bust that I am about to paint but, I know very little about 17th century Cossacks.

The bust...

I have looked on line and found the clothing painted often in shades of reds and blues. Is there a reason for this and, are other colors just as appropriate?

I have found.... ,

and

and finally,

this...

Can anyone shed some light for me?

Thank you very much in advance,

Kevin D.

 

[Joe55]

Hey Kevin,

Why don't you fire off a PM to Martin Rohmann, he'd probably be able to help.

Joe

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Hi Kevin!

Red and blue for te Kaften were often used, but each other color is possible.
Here my resculpt of the Young bust with a green Kaftan





Shirt was almost white.

Cheers

 

[ChaosCossack]

It's not really a uniform so really anything goes.
Reds, blues, greens and browns were common as the colours were easier to make. You'd also find them in clothing and equipment captured from enemies or looted so patterns of Oriental embroidery or Damask could be seen over rough homespun.

Anything goes

Colin

 

[Kevin D.]

Martin and Colin, Thank you both for joining me on this problem. The above answers are excellent! I was concerned that blue and / or red were most common or were indeed uniform. I found and greatly enjoyed your SBS Martin and have attached one of your illustraions below. Colin...Oriental embroidery or Damask is VERY interesting and certainly makes sense. Gives me food for thought.





The Kaften is sleeveless on this bust. Would the color in the example be ok to use with gold laced edging and an off white shirt? For that matter, what other colors of shirt would be realistic? Or is homespun white pretty much the way to go?

Thanks y'all for helping and thanks again Joe!

Kevin

 

[Martin Antonenko]

That would be possible, Kevin! Cossacks wore a variety of clothing - the main thing they looked "gorgeous" from.

To the shirt I would suggest white to you - it was the most used variant. But you can also take any other color.




Cheers