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Richard Fay
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 Posted: Sat 17 Feb, 2007 6:37 pm Post subject: Quited Legs & Arms |
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Hello all! 
Here's a weird one. I found this image on the British Library's on-line image library. it's from the Psalter and Hours of Alfonso V of Aragon, a Spanish (probably Aragon) manuscript of circa 1442. It depicts David and Goliath. Notice the odd, possibly quilted, garment shown on the legs and arms on the figure of Goliath. There appears to be small gussets of mail behind the knees and over the top of the foot. Is this some sort of strange arming garment? Are there any other possible examples of this, or is it merely fanciful? Could it be a depiction of a real garment in use in the fifteenth century?
The brigandine, gauntlet, and haubergeon look fairly normal. Is the quilted garment there to give Goliath an "exotic" look?
What does everyone make of this oddity?
Thanks in advance for any and all input.
Stay safe!
 Attachment: 73.95 KB
David and Goliath, Spain, probably, Aragon, circa 1442.
Copyright © The British Library Board.
"I'm going to do what the warriors of old did! I'm going to recite poetry!"
Prince Andrew of Armar
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Jonathan Blair
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| Posted: Sun 18 Feb, 2007 10:48 am Post subject: |
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Possibly, the Goliath armor might be Moorish in influence, since Goliath was the bad guy and in 15th century Spain, the Moors were the bad guys.
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." - The Lord Jesus Christ, from The Gospel According to Saint Matthew, chapter x, verse 34, Authorized Version of 1611
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Richard Fay
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| Posted: Sun 18 Feb, 2007 11:32 am Post subject: |
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| Jonathan Blair wrote: | | Possibly, the Goliath armor might be Moorish in influence, since Goliath was the bad guy and in 15th century Spain, the Moors were the bad guys. |
It's definitely a possibility that Goliath is meant to appear like the artist's perception of a Moor, but is that sort of padded garment typical of the Moors in the fifteenth century? It almost appears like some sort of arming garment worn under plate, with the mail at the back of the knee and the top of the foot.
Very, very strange...
Stay safe!
"I'm going to do what the warriors of old did! I'm going to recite poetry!"
Prince Andrew of Armar
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Dan Howard
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| Posted: Sun 18 Feb, 2007 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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That could only be interpreted as "quilting" if his knee cops were also quilted. Looks like metal armour to me though I have no idea what sort.
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Richard Fay
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| Posted: Sun 18 Feb, 2007 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Dan Howard wrote: | | That could only be interpreted as "quilting" if his knee cops were also quilted. Looks like metal armour to me though I have no idea what sort. |
The colour of the thing appears more like cloth than metal. The helmet, gauntlet, and mail are clearly painted a bluish-grey, while the legs and arms are painted an off-white. It is possible that the knees were padded in that circular pattern, or had extra layers of padding stitched on. It's also possible that it could be some sort of garment constructed in a manner similar to a brigandine or lined jack with plates inside sewn "pockets". However, it has a roughly similar look to some padded jacks of the period, albeit with smaller "squares", or rectangles, of quilting. Any guesses must be purely speculation, but I thought it was interesting to think about what was on the artist's mind. Maybe it's just fanciful!
Hmm...come to think of it, if the "rectangles" are small plates beneath a fabric cover, it may explain the mail at the back of the knees and top of the feet, areas that would require more flexibility.
"I'm going to do what the warriors of old did! I'm going to recite poetry!"
Prince Andrew of Armar
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