Painted Lances

[Whirlwind]

Were lances usually painted in western Europe in the C15? If so, which patterns and colours were favoured?

[James (olicana) Roach]

In 1495, they were certainly painted in Italy. At Fornovo in 1495 Comines says the Italian men-at-arms

“casting away their light lances, which lay thick on the ground – but they are good for little, being hollow and light and weighing no more than a javelin, though they are prettily painted.”

I’m guessing that they would have been the striped “barber’s pole” style. From the tone of Comines, I’m guessing the French lances were plain. Personally, I paint all of mine because they look nice – painter’s poetic licence.

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[willz]

“I am with James” I like to paint the lances on my medieval figures, they look nice – painter’s poetic license.

[Patrice]

Yes, one colour, or two colours as a “barber’s pole”, in livery colours if any, is a good choice.

However some contemporary paintings also show lances in natural wood colour (= light ochre, not dark brown).

http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html
https://www.anargader.net/

[James (olicana) Roach]

Patrice wrote:

Yes, one colour, or two colours as a “barber’s pole”, in livery colours if any, is a good choice. However some contemporary paintings also show lances in natural wood colour (= light ochre, not dark brown).

Yep, newly made. Would you trust an old one? Lances are probably a bit like conkers

My whoring and daubing:
http://olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk/

[Author]

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