@@virtualpilgrim8645you should understand that the figure wasn't just a woman. The woman also represents the nation, the motherland. It's not a great idea to judge masculinity of medieval warriors, is it?
After listening to Dan Carlin's 'Blueprint For Armageddon', and of the heroism and hardiness of our grandfathers, you and Leighton remind me that this extreme human experience has been going on (particularly in Europe), on massive scales, since antiquity. The siege and sacking of a city, and the mass exodus of young non-military men to war and likely death, is something most humans do not experience anymore. The best and worst of humanity. Great video mate.
Excellent review. I’m not an artist but I am equally interested in the story of the paintings (the artist’s influences and techniques and the story the painting is telling) as well as the details and esthetics. When I see “The Accolade”, I find that I can’t stop staring at the knight’s chain mail. The genius and beauty of the detail is unbelievable. I don’t think I’ve seen any paintings that compare in detail.
Beautiful video mate and truly beautiful art. I suspect that it's actually the same woman in every image you showed. In God Speed and The Shadow the woman's fringe is looped over her hair tie in the same manner and The woman's belt in The Shadow and The Accolade is also the same. Not to mention she's a red head in all pictures (though the shade changes) with the same face.
Thanks! yeah it's hard to determine where intent of artist ends and style begins. I'd like to this we are seeing a story unfold. even if the date of he pieces are out of order. I'm sure some art curator will watch this and laugh. :)
Thank you, what an insightful video post👏🏻. I love the work of Edmund Blair Leighton as well (next to work from The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and Lawrence Alma-Tadema who is famous for his depictions of the Roman Empire). I have 'The Accolade' as a backdrop on my smartphone. A reproduction of 'God speed' hangs above my sofa. And another reproduction* of John William Waterhouse's 'The Lady of Shalott' hangs above my dining room table [*my walls aren't big enough for the real thing😉]. But I've been fortunate in having seen these paintings, while visiting several big exhibitions.
Incredible art sir, and an excellent video. In all the flashy swords and innovative armor it's sometimes easy to forget the human element, and I'm grateful you took the time.
Awesome video. Most of my knowledge of history is about the last two centuries or so but I've been getting interested in the more distant past lately. Came for the sword reviews, stayed for the history.
I have always loved the detail work in Leightons paintings, even if he gets a ton of little historic details wrong. The way he portrays maille is absolutely stunning. I don't care much for the romanticised imagery overall, but some of his painting do stand out for their excellent channeling of emotion. An interesting detail on "An Arrival" (a painting I actually hadn't seen before) is the set of keys left on the stool/bench on the left. Clearly we are not dealing with just any random lady. She is clearly the mistress of the castle and has been left in possession of the keys to the estate (and presumably the treasury as well) In Germanic and especially Scandinavian culture there was a great significance put on women being masters of the house. Unlike the Salic Laws dominating over much of Europe, the Norse traditions of allowing female property rights, inheritance and right to rule over lands actually held sway in much of central and Northern Europe. In all his works, Leighton is obviously using this image of faily emancipated women in his romanticised fantasies.
Concepts of emancipated women is a topic in a video I'm planning. emancipated women was actually a lot more the norm than people associate the middle ages.
Great video, another medieval styled painting by Edmund Blair Leighton I really like is "Stitching the standard" to me she seems proud and strong in posture and face, but also feminine and careful in her hands. Perhaps she is getting ready for war and doing her part.
This was very well done! I've recently subscribed to you and have been impressed by the quality and effort that goes into your videos. I hope you keep making them!
It's a little different in England. The first son would inherit all the titles, property, possessions and wealth that was part of the entailed Estate(s). The second son would be expected to go into the military and would be bought a Commission. It was the third son here that would go into the church. If it was a reasonably wealthy Estate the second and third sons might each be offered an unentailed Estate.
God Speed has been my desktop background for about a year now. It never fails to move me. In that one look: our fragile happiness, absurd waste, and the strange rituals that tie us together.
Great Video! I loved it. you chose a subject not dealt with at all, but a vary important to our common love of all stuff medieval. I think this is a brilliant choice.
+LARPBeard Thanks! I've been wanting to do this for a while now. In fact the analysis of 2 of these paintings are ones I did years ago, and finally fleshed out here.
+Mehmet Yılmaztürk Certainly Tolkien draws a lot of inspiration for both epic tales, as well as chivalric concepts. It's one of the reasons his fantasy creation (which defined fantasy as a genre) is almost entirely medieval in setting. This would have also been a first hand experience for Tolkien in the first World War. I'm not particulalry in the camp of people who believe that Middle-earth is an analogy for the World War, because that is pretentious tripe. But he most certainly was impacted and influences by his experiences, and he wrote about it. The theme of a loved one going off to war isn't medieval., it's both ancient and modern. We see the impact every day, even today.
+Medieval Review I think you could safely say that Tolkien was aesthetically, militarily and historically influenced by the pan-European narrative, specifically early middle ages peoples. However, Tolkien's experience in WWI certainly influenced the morality and pathos of the mythology, best distilled in Gandalf's response to Galadriel's skepticism of his faith in Hobbits: "Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps because I am afraid, and he gives me courage." You can hear the love for his comrades in these words
Thanks! The paintings and themes at another level coild be describing or relating something psychological.. the feminine principle, shadow, luna, voyage, discovery? Art has that knack of carrying forth so many things, perhaps some not intnded because it may come from beyond the artist.
thank you so much. i did not know about the lovestory. the girl on the castle drawing the shadow and the girl looking down to get a sight of someone. i did knew this one. " Stitching the Standard by Edmund Blair Leighton " and find that the dress and the setting look realy very similar, exept the woman. this is to me very interesting. do you know some more simmilaritys?
Please note: There were 3 Leighton. Interesting that all 3 were romantic painters and 2 of them were father and son. The most famous is actually Lord Frederick Leighton.
03:03 hahahahh if thats a viking symbol , then what symbol is in his CALL TO ARMS double headed red and black eagle ? the aegle with the moon is an illyrian/Albanian symbol , known since forever.... LOOK AT THE ALBANIAN FLAG MATE
Aimed more at those commentators who seemed to think it was medieval art. Some of those probably think Frazetta was depicting actual barbarians.Leighton's style reminds me of Rockwell, or vice versa.
I recognized the bleeding hand on your new family crest. I'm creating a new crest for my family, really good to see that I'm not the only one doing it. thanks sword brother
