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

[Garth G. Groff]

Lord Siegfried and friends,

If it is a crossbow bolt, it has three fletches. I'm sure that was done, 
but isn't a three-fletch bolt rather odd? Still, I will allow that you 
might be right.

Kind regards,


Lord Mungo Napier, Shire of Isenfir Archery Marshal

Siegfried wrote:
> 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
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>