[Joe Mejia]

I know that in earlier periods, for example in the Medieval and Early Renaissance eras, there are several examples of armor, specifically helmets, being painted with various designs and motifs. Is there any evidence that this practice continued into the 16th or 17th centuries? Maybe something like soldiers' graffiti, even?

[Thom R.]

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=18604

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=2700

there are others if you use the search function with a few keywords. 15th century there a lots of examples as well as 16th c. 17th century painted armour examples might be rather rarer but I should add I am not a 30 years war expert. Blueing and gilding and etching are fairly common though in both 16th and 17th century. tr

[Joe Mejia]

Thank you. I should mention that I have searched before but most of what I found was too early for my interest.

I have seen the thread about the black sallets before and have seen many helmets from that era that had painted designs. I am wondering more, as you suggested, in the direction of the 30 Years War.

In the other link you posted, there was a very neat cabbaset from 1600 with a lion painted on it. That is exactly the kind of thing I am looking for. I wonder how many more are out there...

But as to the second part of my question, what about soldier's graffiti? Something along the lines of the WWI "Trench Art"; soldiers decorating or modifying their equipment to make it more personal, or perhaps just out of boredom. Things I might be interested in are armor and weapons (of course), but also flasks, scabbards, belts, other items that they might have carried?