CHAPTER VII
CONTINUED GENERAL HISTORY OF ARMOUR, A.D. 1400-1500
Having alluded to the six Italian suits that we think are the
earliest existing harnesses known, let us consider the representation
of these Italian suits in contemporary pictorial art. In the
convent of Saint Apollonia, Florence, there is a series of fresco
paintings, the work of Andrea del Castagno. They are the portraits
of celebrated men painted about 1430 for the Villa Pandolfini at
Legnaia, including Farinata degli Uberti and Pippo Spano. The armaments
of the latter two are splendidly and accurately drawn, and in their
harness a very distinct Missaglia-like influence can be traced, an influence
more primitive than that which marks the work of even Tomaso (Figs. 219
and 220). Could the suits of armour represented in these portraits be such
as were made by Tomaso's father, Petrajolo? Note the exaggerated left
pauldron, with an enormous rondel attached to it; this is similarly depicted in
the Bedford missal where Henry V is represented being armed by his esquires
(Fig. 221). Observe, too, in the second of the two figures that extraordinary
formation of genouillères in which the large side wings are continued
round the back bend of the leg. In the National Gallery the picture of
St. George by Pisano Pisanello (Fig. 222), painted in 1438, shows this
very extraordinary feature in knee defence accurately represented on the
almost back view of the right leg upon which the saint rests. Here is
shown the genouillère plate completely encircling the leg. It is, of course,
impossible to speak definitely, but from the very accurate painting of the
left genouillère it would appear to be of different construction; for viewed as
it is in direct profile, the extremely sharp outline of the knee-wing certainly
lends to it no appearance of being drawn out and round at its hindermost
edge to meet the corresponding inside plate of the knee-plate. Almost the
only other instance of this formation is to be seen on the brass of Sir
Thomas Grene in Green's Norton Church, Northamptonshire, A.D. 1462
(Fig. 223). Other portions of the armour on Pisano's St. George are worthy
