Evidence for colorful armor? -- myArmoury.com

Eric Allen · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 12:43 pm Post subject: Evidence for colorful armor?

I was looking at some images from the Maciejowski Bible, and something struck me.
Looking at the images, the maille generally is grey or white, with a few examples of what looks rather black.
The steel of weaponry--spears, falchions, swords, daggers, maces, indeed all the various types of weapons seen--are all a blue-grey to light grey in color.
The helmets, however, are depicted not only as this same "steel-grey," but also decidedly blue, green, red and yellow, possibly brown and white, and even possibly black. Furthermore, some seem to be more than one color, such as "Norman" nasal-helms with the lower rim and nasal one color and the dome a second color.

Now, it could very well be that these colorful helmets are just "artistic license," the manuscript is painted in relatively few colors (it does use lots of bright, primary colors), and the different color helms would be purely a device to give the illustrations more color. Rarely will two adjacent figures have helmets painted the same color. The color of the helmet furthermore almost never matches the color of the figure's surcoat or tunic (though it will often match the color of the horse's covering). Therefore, it could be purely artistic to help distinguish one figure from another.

However, if this is the case, then why do the multitude of figures wearing only their maille standing next to each other have no distinguishing colors as well (not even slightly different tints of grey)? Also, if helmet color is purely for contrast, why bother to have ones that are very obviously more than one color?

Could it be that painting helmets was perhaps rather common in the 13th century?

I can think of some reasons a helmet might be painted. Rust prevention might be one. Why bother trying tp keep your helmet covered with a layer of messy, smelly oil which can rub off on clothes and hands, especially while on campaign, when you could just cover it with a layer of paint, and maybe just apply another coat whenever it gets too scratched up? For tournament armor I could see decorative paintings being popular, just to be more gaudy. On the other hand, there is the image of the "knight in shining armor." The Bayeaux tapestry dosen't seem to have much evidence for colored helms. I haven't seen many other illuminated manuscripts, so I can't draw comparisons from there.

I've heard of "proto-heraldry" before and seen some photos of modern reproduction armor that has been painted (including Patrick Kelly's really cool blue-and-white job). I've also seen a photograph of an actual sallet with evidence for some decorative painting on it.

Is there some consensus on this topic in the academic community? Is there a historical basis for the painting of helmets in the 13th century? What about Late Medieval and Renaissance plate armor (besides that one sallet)?

Thoughts? Opinions?

Greyson Brown · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject:

Helmets have been found with bits of paint still on them. There is a gothic sallet that is often used to demonstrate this, and I know it is one of the post around here some place. I'm almost positive that Nathan Robinson was the one to post it, but I'm not finding it now. So yes, painting of helmets certainly occured. How often? I don't know.

I had a similar empifany regarding then colors used for sword grips when I was looking through there (lots more orange (and yes, I am convinced it was deliberately orange, rather than red) than I had anticipated). The thing that really caught my attention, though, was the green cross and pommel of the sword in the last or second to last plate. Makes me wonder if helmets weren't the only thing to get painted.

-Grey

Wolfgang Armbruster · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 1:21 pm Post subject:

That's an interesting idea.
I heard that helmets were often covered with fabric, maybe that's an explanation for the different colors.
On the other hand we know a few examples of painted helmets, which were painted instead of polished.
Here's the spotlight topic: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=2700

If they painted helmets in the late middle ages, then they probably did it before as well.

Hisham Gaballa · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 1:53 pm Post subject:

Mikko Kuusirati · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject:

Painting would indeed make maintenance somewhat easier, I reckon. And make recognizing you in the chaos of battle a lot easier (this was a GOOD thing way back when).

Besides, painting things in general was a lot more common throughout history than would seem at first glance today, looking at the relics of long dead cultures. For example, you know all those Greek statues you see, all spotless white marble? Well, those were all painted life-like back in their day...

Dave Womble · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 2:22 pm Post subject:

I've seen some conical nasaled helms and salt shaker great helms painted in primary sources, but the only extant piece i've seen is a sallet in Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight by Edge and Paddock.

Dave

Don Stanko · Posted: Fri 10 Feb, 2006 2:42 pm Post subject:

Some of the antique swords I own still have traces of paint on them. Usually the hilt was painted but in one case the blade had been painted as well. So if swords were painted I guess armour could have been too.

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

Greyson Brown · Posted: Sat 11 Feb, 2006 12:47 am Post subject:

Wolfgang and Hisham,

Thanks! that is the topic I was thinking of.

Johan S. Moen · Posted: Sat 11 Feb, 2006 4:00 am Post subject:

Could it be because the helmets _could_ be painted in different colours, without confusing what they are? If you paint someones maille blue, it could be mistaken for a tunic, while painting a spangenhelm blue would not really matter since it would still look like a helm. Of course, that does not explain why the weapons are not as colorful..

Johan Schubert Moen

Merv Cannon · Posted: Sat 11 Feb, 2006 5:55 am Post subject:

Well I guess we all know how the Victorians scrubbed all the paint and lacquer off armour so it looked nice and shiny in the museums.
This is a fantastic web site in Sweden... http://www.olofsgillet.org/ dont know if you all know this site, but they have great painted sallets......very big photo files and very prosessional looking photography. Its also one of the best web site designs that I've ever seen. These guys get to play in a real Swedish Castle and fight in the snow.
Also, I have in one of my Heraldry books what is clearly a gruop of Great Helms round a table and they all seem to have Cloth Covers.....apparently their wives even embroidered some with the relevent arms, etc. I suppose they would keep rain and snow off the helm (and also heat I guess.? )

Wolfgang Armbruster · Posted: Sat 11 Feb, 2006 6:16 am Post subject:

Peter Johnsson is in this group.

They have two painted sallets. Especially the black one with the Latin text looks awesome.

http://www.olofsgillet.org/images/olofsgillet_001.jpg

http://www.olofsgillet.org/images/olofsgillet_021.jpg

Don Stanko · Posted: Sat 11 Feb, 2006 1:12 pm Post subject:

Hi Bill. in answer to your question of what time periods were the painted swords. They were mainly late 16th century but I have one 17th century rapier that was painted too.

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

Don Stanko · Posted: Sat 11 Feb, 2006 9:31 pm Post subject:

Yes but the paint does not show up particularly well. However I am having some photos shot of my collection and we can see if the paints can be made visible. In one case the paint is bright red and will probably show up, in the others the paint is black and blends in with the patina. But we will see what the photos turn out like.