Fortes Poloni, equites boni -

 Valete.

detal z obrazu Andrzeja Stecha, czeladnik w zupanie i szarawarach z koniem

a Polish XVII century satirical poem - by pan Waclaw Potocki, Szreniawa coat of arms - who in his verses lamented and scorned the 'new' fashion of sending young noblemen to learn fashionable airs and manage  riding in France. 

[in Polish]

fraszka Fortes Poloni, Equites Boni (Ogrod Fraszek, Tom I,  Ogrod nieplewiony czesc II) - 
piora Waclawa Potockiego - lament poety nieledwie. 

 Fortes Poloni, equites boni. 

  

Wedle złej, teraz niej, szlachcic jeden mody, 

Wyprawił syna w obce dla nauk narody. 

Więc, kiedy rok i drugi tym naukom mija, 

Pytam: jaka ćwiczenia jego profesya. 

Jeździć i osiąść konia krokiem prawie chyżym 

Nawyka i dlatego bawi się Paryżem. 

A gdzież, rzekę, Polaków, naród zdawna konny, 

Wsiadać na koń i jeździć uczył kraj postronny? 

Co im świat przypisuje, do Francyi po to 

 Z kosztem jeździć? 0 wieczna ojczyzny sromoto; 

Do Rzymu, albo raczej gdzie na wschodnie światy,

 Piękniej, bo, niźli frezy, ujeżdżać bachmaty. 

Polakowże, co prawie na koniu się rodzą, 

Koniem, piszą, granice ojczyste rozwodzą, 

Niemcy, albo Francuzi konia uczyć mogą,

Jako ręką przy cuglu i w strzemieniu nogą,

 Jako się sprawić w siedle i którym to wiedzieć 

Właśnie należy, jako na koniu ma siedzieć? 

Obaczę go też w wojsku. Nie będzie tam, prawi. 

 A na kataż się koniem we Francyi bawi?

 Żeby więc przed swą damą, na chodziwym turku,

 Korbętował w peruce po warszawskim burku? 

Czy niedosyćże hańby, gdy ich zewsząd płoszą 

Poganie, że jej więcej Polacy przynoszą,

Których męstwa widział świat oczywiste znaki;

 Mistrzami Marsa bywszy, postrzygli się w żaki,

Kiedy, jako po szkołach, jakby wojny w domu

 Nie mieli, po Paryżach wtoczą się bez sromu.

..

detal z obrazu Stecha

.

Książę Aleksander Janusz Zasławski-Ostrogski (ur. 6 marca 1650, zm. 31 maja 1673) - autor Andrzej Stech

Książę

 Dominik Zasławski-Ostrogski herbu własnego (ur. 1618, zm. 5 maja 1656), zwany Pierzyna.

Valete

The Seven Mustangs of Rancho Randado

 Salvete Omnes,

a little bit of mustangs lorein this post and some Dobie's storytelling & A. P. Proctor's sculpting - from Texas
Frank Dobie in his book 'The mustangs' wrote the following:

''When A. Phimister Proctor [famous American sculptor] was commissioned in 1939 to make a bronze statue of a group of authentic mustangs - the sculpture called The Seven Mustangs, presented to the people of Texas by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph D. Ogden of Austin, unveiled on the campus of the University of Texas in 1948 -  the only Spanish horses in Texas available for models [...]were owned by Tom T. East in his San Antonio Viejo ranch in the brush border country. He had around 250 head of dun and grullo horses, all line-backed. They were descendants from a dun mustang stallion caught when about ten years old on the Rancho Randado. In 1920 Tom East got a grullo stallion, son of the dun, and began breeding him to a few mare that were puro Espanol. In the course of years he found that no matter what color of a stallion bred to dun mares, ninety per cent of the colts were dun. [...]The Randado used to raise about the best Spanish horses in Texas. It was a horse ranch, established late in the 18th century.[...] It was fitting that A. Phimister  Proctor's mustangs, plunging forever in bronze, should, while representing all Spanish horses, have been modeled upon coyote duns out of the Rancho Randado.''

Book is available for borrowing from the Archive, world library.

enjoy

Valete

A little more of XV century Epiphany

 Salvete Omnes,

since this is the Epiphany weekend, so   let us enjoy  it as it lasts, with snow and wind around and around, and more medieval imagery.

In this post-   the Northern Renaissance master Hans Pleydenwurff painted this  Three Kings altar   for the Saint Lawrence church in Nuremberg.

The altar's central panel is the most interesting per this blog's equestrian theme. We have a cornucopia of horse tack, saddles and riding equipment - very interesting for further study. 

enjoy

valete

Happy Epiphany

 Salvete Omnes,

Journey of the Magi and Adoration - from Eadwine Psalter -  XII century, Canterbury, England 

the Christmas season 2023-4 is about to end this weekend, with the feast of Epiphany being its culmination in our Roman Catholic tradition & rite - enjoy the holiday weekend. 

Adoration of Magi by Vrelant, there is  a rondel dagger at the belt of the youngest Magi

and from Martin Schongauer's atelier comes this panel - Adoration of Magi 

spurs of two types, and a interesting bridle on a grey horse 

the image in the first banner looks a lot like a Polish coat of arms Gliszczynski IV - a variant of Leliwa coat of arms
Valete

Harper's Weekly, ledger art & Sitting Bull

 Salvete Omnes, 

2nd post of this year. 

I hope your New Year is going all right, but let us bring peace to this world, the wars around Africa, Europe & Asia are in full wicked and evil bloom. 

ad rem, 

in 1876 Harper's Weekly published this article by David Hunter Strother under penname Porte Crayon  on a rather unusual subject - the native & hostile leader's own autobiography in pictures, aka the ledger art of famous Hunkpapa Lakota leader and medicine man/shaman & warrior Sitting Bull. 

In the years before 1876 Centennial Campaign Sitting Bull was in the forefront of the Lakota Sioux (Teton) opposition to the American conquest of the Lakota way of life, trespassing on their  hunting grounds (recently won from the Crows et al.)  and their pursuit of the bison herds etc. Eventually, Sitting Bull would be murdered by the Indian Policemen outside of  his cabin prior to the Wounded Knee Massacre during the so called Ghost Dance War in 1890.

The drawings were purchased by doctor  James P.Kimball from  a Yanktonai man at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory in 1870, who sent them to the Medical Director's Office, Department  of Dakota, and from there they were sent to the Army Medical Museum  in 1871. More on these drawings in the future posts. 
The ledger's drawings were copied from the colorful originals in order to be printed in the black and white magazine- 

.

to be continued

Valete 

1st post of 2024 - let the new journey begin

 Salvete Omnes,

so we have made it to this brand New Year - 

and from the Tristan en prose manuscript circa 147 comes this illumination showing a lance duel between two Arthurian knights  - I have chosen this illumination for a sort of  'allegory' of the New Year' victory over the Old Year

Plate armor, lances, great war horses, saddles and harness including curb-bit etc

 

so the New 2023 Year  has sailed - let us hope it will be a good journey for all of us on this God given earth 

ps

for my Polish fellow-travelers - prof. Jacek Kowalski about Old Poland's Christmas Holiday Season traditions - from foods to carols.

Valete

Happy New Year - Feliz Ano Nuevo - Do Siego Roku

Salvete Omnes,

 

last posting of this 2023 - the old year is about to finish its course..

I wish you  Happy New Year, Feliz ano Nuevo & Do Siego Roku 2024 - may pace return to the Holy Land, Africa and Europe. 

some old, a century old or more Polish greeting cards from Polona (Polish) National Library 

a page adornment from a book printed at the Maciej Wierzbieta's print shop in Krakow, 1585

enjoy 

Valete

William de la Montagne Cary as illustrator et al.,

 Salvete Omnes,

and the last posting about the art of William M. Cary, this time appearing in publications of the era

  'The master of the strong heart: a story of Custer's last rally'  by Elbridge Streeter Brooks. (published in 1910)

and some more more

..

and the painting - Buffalo Signals 

enjoy 

Valete