Live Eagles as Standards

[Anonymous]

I don't know -- I hadn't seen the Praetorians relief before. But looking at it now, I will agree that it does look strange and different from most of the stylized eagles, but it really doesn't look much like a 'real' eagle to me, either. It may just be a trick of the artist, but the color and especially the reflection of the light off of the bird looks much more like off a metal statue than a real animal. The use of broad scales to recreate 'feathers' and the rounded edges, especially on the tail, look more like a sculptor's trick than the painter's, although I certainly can't prove it. Mostly, though, the legs and feet look very fake to me -- especially the way that both feet seem to come down in a straight line in front of the crossbar -- they look more like supports for something artificial than the feet of a real eagle.<br>
Again, though, that's just me. I'm far from an expert. <p></p><i></i>