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

[Garth G. Groff]

Lord Christophe and friends,


Compare http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=49 with the earlier 
image. The National Gallery version is much clearer (though smaller but 
with better colors). Detail close-ups are available by first clicking on 
"full screen image" and then "detail images". The thumbnail-sized 
details can then be blown up to a fair size. Response time is slow, but 
everything on the web seems to be moving like a turtle today. It appears 
that what might have been the nock has now completely disappeared in the 
National Gallery scan.

I think is is possible that this arrow actually is a trophy as Lord 
Christophe suspects, though I can't say with certainty. It certainly 
doesn't appear to be shootable, though Antoine's certainly is. It is 
clearly recorded that Antoine won a major tournament at Bruges circa 
1460, just before his portrait was painted, and the arrow he holds is in 
obvious commemoration of his victory. I suspect that from the very 
functional design of his arrow, that it is actually one from his own 
quiver rather than a trophy.

And yes, I also agree that the unnamed subject of this painting is 
probably a noble, since few people but nobles could afford portraits, 
especially by a master with Memling's stature.

Kind regards,


Lord Mungo Napier, Shire of Isenfir Archery Marshal

John Atkins wrote:
> 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, 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