hello to all
having recently completed some research into the landsknecht history (for a set of illustrations on the very subject for Mr. Sikora's book to be released this month by Infort Editions in Poland ) I welcome this figure,as it is attempting to portray one of those bombastic ruffians who nevertherless were flamboyant, curageous and fearsome while almost equally as brave as willing to plunder, pillage and live off the war.
..well, as this figure does look appealing in this painting job (although I do not like the color choice for some of the gatrments), it has some strangely looking weaponry collection, while the clothing and clothing colors are everyones choice as per old Roman saying... "de gustibus non disputandum est."
first, in my humble opinion the figure is almost directly taken out of the book by Mr.Embleton "Medieval Military Costume Recreated in Colour Photographs," especially pages 89 and 91.
And in there, on page 91 the figure -almost identical save for the jacket and hat- has a sword at his belt - almost exactly copied by Mr.Song. And there lies the mistake - the sword of this miniature is sculpted with the long handle(hilt) of the hand-and-a-half (bastard) sword - , truly worn in such fashion mostly by the Swiss and perhaps landskenchts as well (as Mr.Embleton states). But ... Mr. Song made this sword's (blade) short - like a typical landsknecht short, double-edged Katzbalger or 'cat-mangler, ' easily recognizable because of the fantastic quillons - most often s-shaped and large and flat pommel etc.
Secondly - if the miniature is to show a landsknecht of the 1520s - of the in-famous 'sacco di Roma' and battle of Pavia times, then his firearm is a curious type - clearly a matchlock arquebus but the firing mechanism (very unusal kind) belongs more to the last quarter of the 15th century then the 1520s , especially of the German type butt did get kind of stocky and short (firing mechanism is shown on page 70 of the siad book).
as per short jacket - Mr.Embleton writes that the reenactments tended to prove the prints in that when jacket is unfastened those slashed short jackets' sleeves, being heavy, tend to pull the jacket off the shoulders - something one may find very inconviniet even when striking a pose, not ot mention marching or fighting. In this sculpture it does not appear that the unfastened jacket causes or becomes any burden for the wearer...
I wonder if he has any dagger - something also very typical of the times and type of soldier, but cannot be deducted from these pictures...
probably all these faults can be corrected - how easily, quickly or precisely, I am not sure as at the present I do not know how - maybe one day
Dario
ps
Finally, for those interested check this set of prints from 1500s, where you find more than a hundred soldiers and equipment depicted:
http://hss.ulb.uni-bonn.de/ulb_bonn/diss_o...t_von/teil2.pdf
