long time ago I painted this watercolor . I only have a poor scan since I had given the original to a friend and consequently we lost touch.
I copied a painting that was from an English language book on the South American horsemen, especially the gauchos I think, and it was black and white. I think it was titled el gaucho del norte, and this implies Argentina, and judging from the horse's head it was depicting a criollo horse.
I wonder if anyone, looking at my copy, may know the name of its original painter and when it was painted?
Great!
ReplyDeleteLove the leather leg flaps. Imagine scales on top of the flaps and you will have perfect Saka, Persian, Seleucid,... leg defenders.
I was wondering what the smaller triangular - piece (top) of the flaps is? Is this maybe a piece of the flaps what must be attached to the rider's back (girdle) to hold the flaps in place?
Greetings
Philip
Saka, Persians and later the Early Parthians and Seleucids(before they began to use laminated leg armor, laminated arm armor they used already)used the same kind of leg flaps.
ReplyDeleteThese flaps hung suspended from the horse's neck by means of a band which linked the 2 flaps together and which was hung over the horse's neck.
To keep them tightly in place and enclosing the legs firmly the top of the flaps were attached to the rider's back by means of his belt. Detached from the rider's belt, both tops would have felt downwards, like being folded against the main body of the flaps, just as can be seen in the painting you published.
That's why I asked if the tops of the Gaucho's flaps also were intended to be fastened at the rider's belt.
Anyhow, maybe a good tip to draw an Early Parthian or Saka full armoured warrior.
Philip
Philip,
ReplyDeletethanks for your comment - I have been busy with other things so my posting is sporadic, I already have drawings of this device on a Saka/Persian horseman, I just have not gotten to writing on it yet, so it will have to wait...
I also will post something more substantial about the Argentinian horse tack in the fashion shown in this picture (and this tack 'steppe' aspects) - but this brush protection is not connected to the rider's back, but hangs freely from the saddle' pommel. It is usually made out of raw cow hide so it is stiff, and it is used mostly in the northern Argentina (el noroeste).
I am not sure if the Saka/ Persians actually attached the leg flaps to their rear, dangerous idea for a rider going into a battle, I think.