Rembrandt: arms and armor in his work

Matchlock · 18th February 2011, 12:23 AM

Hi 'Nando, my dear friend,

Guess my editings and your post overlapped here!

Just in case I'm wrong, please do post the missing image, OK?

With all my very best wishes,
Michl der Bayer

Jim McDougall · 18th February 2011, 03:45 AM

Thank you Jens! LOL, on the katar note

now that would be some REALLY interesting evidence in that quest!!!

Michael, thank you so much for adding the so called 'Night Watch', and of course this truly is your field, art and weapons. I always look forward to your pointing out key points in the weapons portrayed.
In reading on this painting, it was interesting to find that the event was apparantly actually in daylight, but darkened with age and eventually given the 'night watch' moniker. It seems like these militia groups were pretty much like mens clubs, and there are apparantly a number of other similar themed paintings by some of Rembrandts contemporaries, of these units, I saw I think two others in A.V.B. Normans book.

Do you agree that these kinds of paintings would likely have been using the mens own weapons, as in portraits, rather than studio props?

Fernando, thank you so much for adding this cabasset, and that does seem like a good possibility as well. The scenario of the one you describe being covered in black pitch of course brings to mind the famed "Maltese Falcon" of classic movies, the gold bird painted black. This does present possibilities of course for this very ornate helmet (or one of its type) having been captured by the Dutch, and perhaps whichever individual in Rembrandts circle who painted this may have seen the gold one, and painted from there. Again, possibly a 'dead color' prototype (a formatted image without coloring) might have been embellished with this gold helmet rather than the simple cabasset which was probably in Rembrandt's collection.

It does reveal that these highly decorated and gold colored, if not gold itself, helmets were certainly around even if in limited number.

All best wishes,
Jim

fernando · 18th February 2011, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Hi 'Nando, my dear friend,

Guess my editings and your post overlapped here!

Just in case I'm wrong, please do post the missing image, OK?

With all my very best wishes,
Michl der Bayer

.

cornelistromp · 18th February 2011, 04:47 PM

herewith my Dutch contribution, a dutch musket and of course a Rembrandt
from my collection.
Best,

Matchlock · 21st February 2011, 06:31 PM

Thank you, 'Nando - now I know what I failed to post.

Thank you also, Jasper, for posting that fine sample of a 1630's Netherlandish matchlock musket!

Best,
Michael

18th February 2011, 04:47 PM	#4
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,060	herewith my Dutch contribution, a dutch musket and of course a Rembrandt from my collection. Best, Attached Images Last edited by cornelistromp; 18th February 2011 at 04:59 PM.

18th February 2011, 12:23 AM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi 'Nando, my dear friend, Guess my editings and your post overlapped here! Just in case I'm wrong, please do post the missing image, OK? With all my very best wishes, Michl der Bayer

18th February 2011, 03:45 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Thank you Jens! LOL, on the katar note now that would be some REALLY interesting evidence in that quest!!! Michael, thank you so much for adding the so called 'Night Watch', and of course this truly is your field, art and weapons. I always look forward to your pointing out key points in the weapons portrayed. In reading on this painting, it was interesting to find that the event was apparantly actually in daylight, but darkened with age and eventually given the 'night watch' moniker. It seems like these militia groups were pretty much like mens clubs, and there are apparantly a number of other similar themed paintings by some of Rembrandts contemporaries, of these units, I saw I think two others in A.V.B. Normans book. Do you agree that these kinds of paintings would likely have been using the mens own weapons, as in portraits, rather than studio props? Fernando, thank you so much for adding this cabasset, and that does seem like a good possibility as well. The scenario of the one you describe being covered in black pitch of course brings to mind the famed "Maltese Falcon" of classic movies, the gold bird painted black. This does present possibilities of course for this very ornate helmet (or one of its type) having been captured by the Dutch, and perhaps whichever individual in Rembrandts circle who painted this may have seen the gold one, and painted from there. Again, possibly a 'dead color' prototype (a formatted image without coloring) might have been embellished with this gold helmet rather than the simple cabasset which was probably in Rembrandt's collection. It does reveal that these highly decorated and gold colored, if not gold itself, helmets were certainly around even if in limited number. All best wishes, Jim

21st February 2011, 06:31 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Thank you, 'Nando - now I know what I failed to post. Thank you also, Jasper, for posting that fine sample of a 1630's Netherlandish matchlock musket! Best, Michael