Naval battle fresco in Sienna, c.1390/1400

[admin]

Fresco at the Palazzo Publico, by Spinello Aretino. For anybody interested in arms and armour of this time, this is a great work of art - unfortunately there is a lack of decent images of it all.

[Thearos]

Is this the same room with frescoes of "Good Government" vs "Bad Government" ?

Noted on the third, big, pic

Big infantry shields, with spear overhand
Fantastic details of armour (gloves, mail, plate, brigandine)
Helmets: in the same fight, bascinets, something that looks like a great helm, something that looks like a burgonet-- and kettle helmets for the rowers (who need protection from missiles from above

No longswords-- presumably not a good weapon in a naval melee

[admin]

Despite their abundance in fencing books, longswords are comparatively rare in period art work. Even in the 15th century there is as much or more art showing the sword and shield used together (despite what arms and armour books generally say) than longswords.
The oblong shields are something you see more in Italian art than any other area at this time, and many of the swords shown in Italian art look rather short. Note also the 'fingering' of the guards in many Italian examples.

[bigdummy]

wonderful painting thanks for posting, never seen that before.

[Gil-Galadh]

I love this fresco. It just shows so much details from the end of 14th century armour

[Thearos]

Someone's also wielding a "short glaive" or "chopper"

[Motley]

Firstly that is awesome, thanks for posting.

... Note also the 'fingering' of the guards in many Italian examples.

I wonder how they got away with it? Fiore shows it, and I know later hilts got more complex to protect the finger but before that it was obviously popular to do. Even with gauntlets it would be especially easy to get your finger smashed though so why is it so popular?

[bigdummy]

Maybe in this particular case it's because they are mostly blocking with their shields

BD