Salvete Omnes,
a little bit of Stefano della Bella and Certamen equestre art - or rather some attempts by the XIX century illustrators to interpret the Italian and German period masters.
chronologically, Stefano Della Bella was the author who observed Polish riders in Rome, Italy (1630s), and later in France (1640s).
The XIX century illustrator working from Stefano's prints created these two illustrations.
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The famous Certamen Equestre prints by Ehrenstrahl document the splendorous horse show at the Swedish court in 1670s. One of the historic people portrayed in these prints is a Polish condottiere Zachariasz Gamocki (there are two fine articles by Stockholm & Uppsala Universities researcher Elzbieta Swiecicka on the Gamckis family - husband and his wife Eva Richard de la Chapelle).
Gamocki was in the service of Swedish crown, used as messenger and translator/inteprter due to his knowledge & command of various languages including Turkish & Crimean Tatar - but there was also an ambiguity and perhaps scandal about that during the Crimean Tatar embassy of Alsna Aga to Sweden in 1671- , but in the Certamen prints he was shown among the Polish fraction of horsemen, horses and retainers.
Below the interpretation of the figure of this Swedish courtier by the XIX century illustrator
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all images from Polona, Polish Republic-EU national library
Valete
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