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

[Siegfried]

You are correct that it may be 'offscale' due to artist's perspective,
as is often the case.

But I'll posit another possible option:

It's a crossbow bolt.

I've seen that picture in person, and unless I'm mistaken, that is the case.

Siegfried


On 4/8/10 10:07 AM, Garth G. Groff wrote:
> 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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Barun Siegfried Sebastian Faust - Barony of Highland Foorde - Atlantia
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