[Archers] Fletchers: Another painting of a man with an arrow

[John Atkins]

Just a thought, is it possible that the pictures you have posted with
nobles holding arrows are nobles that won archery contests?  Often in
period the winner of an archery contest was awarded a "golden arrow".  I
would think that only a noble would have the money to commission a
portrait.  And in truth, making an arrow out of real gold would be
impractical even for an award and cost prohibitive even considering the
other excesses nobles did in period.  Just a thought, but it would
explain many of the questions about how one could possibly shoot the
arrow being held.

cog

-----Original Message-----
From: archers-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
[mailto:archers-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of Garth G.
Groff
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2010 10:07 AM
To: Archers at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
Subject: [Archers] Fletchers: Another painting of a man with an arrow


Noble friends of the arrow,

Here is another famous portrait of a man holding a arrow. The painting 
was done circa 1478-1480, and by Hans Memling [now in the National 
Gallery in Washington, DC]. I was unable to find any information about 
the man in the painting. His cap is black, possibly velvet and bears is 
small pin, and even at maximum magnification it is not very clear. I 
find the position of his ring to be interesting. I wonder if he ever 
lost it? The ring appears to have a setting with a stone. Clearly this 
man is a gentleman, likely a noble.

His arrow has an interesting swallow-tail fletch, and from its size, I 
take this to be sporting arrow, much like Antoine's that was previously 
posted. The stele is extremely truncated at the nock, really too short 
for an archer to draw without having his fingers in the fletching. I 
suspect that the Memling was working from sketches, and no longer had 
his subject before him, since such an arrow would be almost impossible 
to shoot. Maybe some of you will notice something else to share about 
this arrow.

The painting is at: 
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/m/memling/2middle1/11marrow.html .

If you click on the small image, you will get a fairly large blow-up. 
This can resized using controls at the top to fill the screen to 
approximately life size.

At your service, and the service of Atlantian archery,


Lord Mungo Napier, Shire of Isenfir Archery Marshal
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