Which Osprey title is this plate from ?

[FAVENTIANVS]

With regards to McBride's work one of his best illustrations was a depiction of Germanic warriors amongst some Roman ruins, perhaps Robert remembers that. As far as I know it was not published in any book but it did appear in an issue of Military Illustrated magazine in an article on McBride himself. Fans of Mc Bride should get the book 'Warriors and Warlords, the art of Angus McBride'.

Graham.

Like this one?: http://geocities.com/ivarmaelstrom/bagaudae.jpg

[Theodosius the Great]

Theodosius wrote:

That's the look I'm going for with my impression.

There has been a discussion on another thread regarding the Tribune's tunic especially with regards to the purple decoration along the hem as illustrated here. I think McBride has simply copied an illustration by Peter Connolly from his Roman Army book. However there does not seem to be any original evidence for that type of decoration and the tunics at that period would appear to have had the usual vertical clavii in either Senatorial or Equestrian thickness.

Hi Graham,

Yes I haven't forgotten our discussion. My tunic is undecorated with any purple hems or clavii at the moment, but I do plan to go with the latter.

I noticed this Tribune's tunic as well with that purple hem which has a mysterious origin. When I get the book maybe it will explain where McBride drew his inspiration from. I'll let you know, but you're probably right in suspecting it's just a copy of Connolly's :roll: .

[FAVENTIANVS]

Wow!
Amazing images Comerus!
Where did you take'em from?

[FAVENTIANVS]

I've bought some similar ones, they were republican Romans, made in Italy and were so cheap that just for the illustration it's worth buying it... :wink:

[Graham Sumner]

Hello All

Theodosius wrote:

I noticed this Tribune's tunic as well with that purple hem which has a mysterious origin. When I get the book maybe it will explain where McBride drew his inspiration from. I'll let you know, but you're probably right in suspecting it's just a copy of Connolly's

I am pretty sure it is a straight copy from Connolly's work. Looking through the book 'Imperial Rome at war' it is not specified exactly what the sources were but I suspect that it owed a great deal to other earlier Osprey titles, Peter Connolly's books and Ronald Embleton's illustrations for the Frank Graham series on Hadrian's Wall. The only academic work hinted at is Nicholas Fuentes' research on the Roman tunic but most of the other details probably relied on Bishop and Coulston's book.

Conal wrote:

I had assumed that he drew what he was told to by the author .. is that a wrong assuption ?

I have a copy of a book written as well as illustrated by McBride dating back to 1971 called 'The Roman Empire'. As he has continued to specialize in historical illustration I would have thought that like any other illustrator he has built up a library of background reference material on a variety of subjects including the Roman army. However it would be normal practice for the author to supply the artist with all the historical references required as I had to for Graham Turner (see below).

Faventianus wrote:

Like this one?: http://geocities.com/ivarmaelstrom/bagaudae.jpg

No, That illustration is taken from Tim Newark's book The Barbarians. The illustration I refer to was in Military Illustrated No.9 October/November 1987 alongside a rather splendid Highlander. Unlike a lot of his other illustrations the equipment details like belt plates and horse harness fittings are not sketched in but accurately realized.

Virilis Finlandicus wrote:

Personally I like very much Graham Turner`s illustrations on Graham Sumner`s "Roman Army: Wars of the Empire".

Does anyone know if Graham Turner has done some other illustrations on roman military history?

I got to know the other Graham quite well working with him on that book. In case you do not know he is the son of the famous aviation artist Michael Turner and both of them have frequent joint exhibitions of their work which are well worth visiting. It was an interesting experience for me working with and providing information for another artist and I was really pleased with the final results.

As far as I know Graham has not painted any more Roman subjects. His own field of interest was the medieval period and much of his subsequent work for Osprey has been for titles relating to that era.

Graham.

[FAVENTIANVS]

I took it from Tim Newark's WARLORDS.

[Graham Sumner]

Hi Faventianvs


Faventianvs wrote:

I took it from Tim Newark's WARLORDS.

I have that illustration in 'The Barbarians: warriors & wars of the dark ages', Tim Newark. (Poole) 1985. It is the 6th colour Plate out of a series of sixteen. Perhaps that illustration has appeared in another book by Tim Newark or the original book has been re-published under another title. In any case it was not the illustration I originally referred to. If you pm your e-mail address to me I would be happy to e-mail the picture back to you if you want.

Best wishes

Graham.

[Dan Diffendale]

Just as an FYI, Newark's Warlords (1996) is "an omnibus edition of The Barbarians (1985), Celtic Warriors (1986) and Medieval Warlords (1987)".

[Uwe Bahr]

Avete omnes,

this is a very interesting topic with very different aspects. And I can add a beautiful painting of the Italian artist Guiseppe Rava who - for me newly -works as military illustrator. Two Roman-time paints:

link from old RAT
Title: Venus Victrix ! Giulio Cesare a Munda - 45 a.C.

link from old RAT
Title: Limes Germanicus - Le legioni dell'impero

I like specially the first one that could be a fine model for a diorama and makes my fingers tingle ...

Gioi Comerus,

the card board paintings are from the Russian plastic soldiers manufacturer 'Zvezda' and I like them very much, too. And the miniatures themselves (scale 1 : 72) are so nice that I myself who always worked in 1 : 32 only (may-be You know this from RAT's modeling and gaming sub-forum: link from old RAT), have decided to make some little dioramas with these fantastic soft plastic soldiers.

BTW, the painting above are obviously for sale:

[url:3b6vq7u8]http://www.militaryart.it/galleria1.cfm?periodo=1&fase=2&nomeperi=Ancient[/url]

Robert, Virilis Finlandicus,

I totally agree with Your opinion about Angus McBride, he is a highly gifted painter but his last publications lack the enthusiasm of his earlier works. Very good (from the view of painting) also his works for Concord about the 'Ancient Celts' and 'Barbarians'. BTW, I think the birds in the background are something of a characteristic signature in his pictures.

Graham (Mr. Sumner),

Your books belong to my favorite illustrations too (I have - of course - "Roman Military clothing 1 - 3" and "Roman Army - Wars of the Empire"). I like specially how You show clothing as it "hangs" on the body with all its folds and not in such an "idealized" way, that was - in my eyes -revolutionary and realistic and I wished, I would have the talent to convert this in the model soldier's reconstruction.

I still have a question. IIRC are You or have been a member of the Auxiliary branch of Ermine Street Guard ("the Gentleman from the rear of the column") and I met the "Guard" at the great reenactment event in Xanten last year. They had an information tent with large boards and the latter displayed beautiful color paintings of Roman Military every day's life that I had never seen before and that have - I think - never been published in any publication. I remember for example a mother and her weeping child standing at a Roman soldier's tombstone (very impressive) and there was surely enough material to fill at least one or two Osprey books. Are these paints from You or do You know if they are intended to be published?

Greets - Uwe

[Graham Sumner]

Hello Dan / Uwe

Just as an FYI, Newark's Warlords (1996) is "an omnibus edition of The Barbarians (1985), Celtic Warriors (1986) and Medieval Warlords (1987)".

Thanks for clearing up that little mystery!

Uwe you must have read my article for the Guard 'The Gentlemen at the rear of the column'. That was how we were always referred to during the display commentary. I was in the Guard Auxilia for about 18 years and finally left as a full member in 2004. I remember meeting Dan at Aldborough many years ago. He was literally taken from the crowd and allowed to take part in the display. As usual in those cases he performed better than many full members!

The display pictures for the Guard panels were paintings by either myself, fellow Guard member Clive Constable or pictures from Peter Connolly who kindly gave the Guard permission to use images from his books. The pictures that Clive and I produced were painted around 15 years ago and were intended solely for use as part of the Guard display. Yes, Uwe the one you mention above of the family around a tombstone was one of mine. Clive and I also worked together on a booklet called 'Roman Wilderspool'. written by Tim Strickland.

Thanks for all the kind comments, there are more Roman books on the way I can promise you and my Bank manager that!

By the way one of my favourite all time Roman paintings, although I have only ever seen it in black and white and know nothing about the artist, is one entitled 'Fury of the Goths' by Paul Ivanovitz. Is anyone else familiar with it?

Graham.

[Conal]

Yer tis ;

http://faculty.jbu.edu/jhimes/

Scroll down.

Still in B&W

I had a copy in a coffee table version of Gibbons Decline & Fall .... I chopped it up for some other illustrations & chucked it though !

[Graham Sumner]

Thats the one, Conal!

I did a Google search on it and came up with....yet another black and white image. Perhaps it was painted in black and white after all, who knows! Once again there was nothing about the artist or when the picture was painted although at a guess I would say 1890's. You are quite right I saw it for the first time in that same coffee table book on Gibbons Fall of the Roman Empire.

Graham.

[Arthes]

Greetings,

With regards to McBride's work one of his best illustrations was a depiction of Germanic warriors amongst some Roman ruins, perhaps Robert remembers that. As far as I know it was not published in any book but it did appear in an issue of Military Illustrated magazine in an article on McBride himself. Fans of Mc Bride should get the book 'Warriors and Warlords, the art of Angus McBride'.

Graham.

Like this one?: http://geocities.com/ivarmaelstrom/bagaudae.jpg

That is in 'The Barbarians- Wars and Warriors of the Dark Ages' which I have had for some years....it was originally a present...
That's the book that also has Gawain from King Arthur, or the Sarmatian they based him on.....hehe
regards
Arthes

[Robert Vermaat]

Thank you Uwe!
Oh! if you like that black & white perhaps you like this one?
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/C ... igoths.jpg

Ow, I know that one.. Striking, isn't it? Totally wrong of course, almost 'Hollywood'!!

Comerus, on that site referred to above I noticed this one: www.militaryart.it/images/leonida.jpg I think you'll like it.

[Robert Vermaat]

I had a copy in a coffee table version of Gibbons Decline & Fall .... I chopped it up for some other illustrations & chucked it though !

Oh you poor sod.. I still have that edition you speak of.. :lol:

I found this: