Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Two Riders - R. Savery - National Galleries of Scotland

 Salvete Omnes,

a new month has started and the Dog Days of the Summer have started as well - so let us start .

National Galleries of Scotland graciously allow us to share their digitized art collections, and one of period gems is this drawing by Roelandt Savery. (crica 1605-10AD)



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Note that both riders are mounted on stallions and judging from their conformation these warhorses are of 'eastern', lighter, type. 

Are they the Old Polish kozaks cavalry ? Well, difficult to say - Savery had lived in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia ( Austrian Hapsburg Empire) at least since 1604AD. But also he traveled down south to Croatia (then part of the Hapsburg Kingdom of Hungary) and Croats, Serbs of Krajina and Hungarians (including various ethnic horsemen of that Kingdom) used costumes, armor, weapons and horse tack similar to their Polish counterparts, and the preference to ride stallions and geldings instead of mares. Savery was a master of portraying of these East-Central European warriors, so just let us enjoy the drawing.

enjoy

Valete



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