Pinturicchio's horses from the Duomo di Siena

 Salvete Omnes,

the Old Year is coming to close, we have the last weekend of the Old Year ahead of us, and then perhaps a better year will arrive.

So today let us enjoy some fine frescoes from the  Piccolomini Library of the  Sienna Cathedral - painted by maestro Pinturicchio and his workshop. 

Maestro Pinturicchio, born Bernardino de Betto  in Perugia, Umbria in 1454AD,  was active during the  remainder of  the XV century until his death in 1513AD. 

so maestro Pinturicchio worked in Sienna on the Piccolomini Library frescoes, monumental paintings showing the story of bishop Enea Piccolomini, who would eventually become pope Pious II, (died in 1464AD).  Cardinal  Francesco T. Piccolomini, future pope Pious III, commissioned Pinturicchio and his crew to paint these stories as frescoes. Pinturiccho  executed these paintings  between 1502-1507AD. \

Ad rem, the horses & riders and ... some dogs

Raffaelle Santi aka Raphael drew this plate 

Enea Silvio Piccolomini leaving for the Council of Basel - 

on the roan horse  there is a gilded curb-bit, large riding saddle, breastplate and sumptuous crouper but steel stirrups

Enea on a gray stallion, very sparse saddle skirt, but a large curb-bit bridle

a favorite greyhound? 

horses and mule are all shod

Enea Piccolomini presenting Eleanora/Eleanor of Portugal to the emperor Fredrich/Frederick  III . In this panel there are more horses, another mule, 

a rider accompanied by a piper and an armed assistant 

A black spirited mule with a fine greed bridle, in the background a noble rider with his armed assistant or page?

variety of horse heads and bridles, curb-bits, and a horse trumpeter 

Enea Piccolomini himself as imagined ? by the artists, with a dark grey horse with a high saddle 

beautiful Eleanor of Portugal and her equally beautiful ladies in waiting, two grey horses in the background  

enjoy

Valete