So Gott mit uns wer wird wider uns seyn...

[simon m.]

It´s been quite a long time since I started working on this knight (christmas 2009) but finally I have found enough time and motivation to finish the piece.
It took a while until I had decided on a colour scheme and in the end I choose to go away one step from the fantasy references I used towards a more historical approach. The result can perhaps be described as a "fantasy-interpretation of an historical character"....however the taints of chaos have been inevitable...

So, the person depicted is "Georg der Reiche, Herzog von Bayern-Landshut" ("George the rich, duke of Bavaria-Landshut"). He lived from 1455 to 1503 and is mainly popular due to his lavish marriage with Hedwig Jagiellonica (daughter of the polish King, Kasimir IV) in 1475, an event still celebrated by the citizens of Landshut (The headline is something like a mission statement used during this time).
Besides that I like this historical period and had already used pictures of armour from this time during the sculpting process I found the duke´s heraldry suitable.
Both painting and sculptingwise I consider it not my best work yet in regard of the amount of time invested into this figure it has definitelly been the most ambitious project for me up to now and I am pretty happy and even more relieved to have it away from my desk.

So far, thank´s a lot for looking and reading and of course I am grateful for each comment.
Regards, si.

More...

 

[pinsel]

hello really nice.the only thing is would like to critic is the flail for an horseman.
there are flails as weapon used by the hussites.good is that the sculptur resisited to create this sience fiction piece with the spiked round head which is an product of knight movies of the 50 ties.there where flais.but not as knightly weapons,nearly all where weaponry of the low ranking warbands.no knight would have used such an low status weapon.the flail was used by the chech Hussites und was often an argricultural tool which was issued with iron band and so used an crushing intrument.BUT ALL ARE USED IN INFANTRY USE.you can not deliver an blow from horse back with an chain flirring around your head ,you hit yourself your horse and more you get entangled in parts of your own armour.try it yourself with an chain fixed to an pole.you will more often hit yourself that an target in front of you.real flails had very short straps or chains between the wooden cubbed parts.in the kind of an chinese NUN CHAKO
so all horseman used the Mace an staffed weapon with spiked winged head.or an warhammer.so this weapon on an knightly horseman is pure nonsense.there is no way to use this wepaon effective in battle while on horseback.would alter this to an beaked hammer or mace.
sorry but its the weapon collector in me.
fine figure fine painting
respekt

 

[ArturM]

Amazing idea, sculpting, painting and composition! Well done!

Best regards
Artur

 

[megroot]

Excellent paintwork.

marc

 

[gordy]

Incredible painting Simon! Great tonal balance for the atmospshere and scene. Love the snow leopard skin too!

 

[FigureLover]

Great atmosphere with this one, it looks very cold and windy. The sculpting is outatanding.
Ben

 

[simon m.]

Hi,

Thank you all very much for your kind words!

@Pinsel: I fully understand your point and I am aware that the weapon is absolutelly unchivalrous....nevertheless my intention was by no means to create an historically correct figure and the flail looks, at least in my opinion, far more "cool" than a mace (especially considering the relativelly small sice of these weapons used during this time).
There are a lot of other "incorrect" elements, too...some due to "dramatic" reasons others due to a lack off sculpting skill (e.g. I will try a fluted armour next time).

Best regards, si.

 

[oldtrousers]

Excellent scuplting, painting and base work. I really like this.

 

[brian]

Brilliant piece of work.Love the whole atmosphere you've captured.
Brian