Work in Progress

Etruscan King Porsena and Mutius Scaevola

Posted by Phersu on 06 Jul 2017, 19:35

Well... there's no much work in progress left, apart from the background and final painting... which when ready will go in the galleries! ;-)
After the sitting Porsena I took advantage of a little pause from other works, to bring ahead and finish the figures for this scene... another very old project I dreamed for ages is finally almost done!

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It a famous episode of the history of Rome:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lars_Porsena

The characters really existed and the story is probably true oo, despite its conclusion told in the official Roman history instead is most likely propaganda... :coffee: apparently to hide a severe defeat, as is evident from several clues that Porsena conquered and ruled Rome for a while after all.
So he wasn't so impressed from Mutius attempt, neither from his warnings about the next 300 Romans ready to try again after all!

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For the set I imagined Porsena in high rank but relatively simple military leader's clothes and armor... while Gaius Mutius sneaked in the Etruscan camp simply dressed, and armed just with a small dagger... and killed the King's scribe by mistake because he was dressed in very rich luxury clothes... so he burned his own hand which failed! :affraid:
I imagined Porsena's son Arunte next to him, ready to protect his dad, unsheathing a Makhaira from the scabbard... just in case (perhaps I'll add a cloack to him too)
And the King's guards in heavy armor, quite astonished rather than just alarmed, in the act of stopping that crazy Roman guy! :drool:
Some controversial hipotesys suppose Mutius was actually trying to steal some pork ribs from Porsena's barbecue! :xd:

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Now there's the background left to do, a section of the inside of a big commander tent on the back side... perhaps it wuld be nice to make two rooms in the tent, and an open door to spot the killed scribe leaning on a table... but going on this way I'll never finish! :eh:
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Phersu  Italy

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Posted by Frankzett on 07 Jul 2017, 08:35

... are there shorts under the chiton of the hoplites :eh: ?

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Frank
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Posted by DickerThomas on 07 Jul 2017, 09:07

Hi Leonardo, ;-)

great Figures .. intresting story.. :thumbup: :drool: :drool: :thumbup:

about " .. and killed the King's scribe " .. maybe it will look good if you also make the "Mistake-Kill"... :mrgreen:

What dio you think .. ??
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DickerThomas  Germany
 
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Posted by Phersu on 07 Jul 2017, 11:55

Thank you!

Frankzett wrote:... are there shorts under the chiton of the hoplites :eh: ?

Greetings
Frank


It'a a part of the legs armor... I noticed such extra upper protection for the legs in some Etruscan statues and frescos or basreliefs.
I never spotted it in other ancient armors from other cultures, I don't know how diffused it was but I like it... and it seem some likd of particular distinguishing feature of some Etruscan armors, like the frequent "donkey ears" Attic helmets.

DickerThomas
about " .. and killed the King's scribe " .. maybe it will look good if you also make the "Mistake-Kill"... :mrgreen:

What dio you think .. ??


Ideed, the killed scribe will be a nice add on to the scenery... I imagine him still sit and leaning dead on the table, stabbed in his back with the dagger still there... a quite dramatic scene!
Pity that in such position the frontal features are not visible, especially the rich clothes that misleaded the poor Mutius! :xd:
This will make a bit more complicate the minidiorama display, it's a tricky thing make the background tent interiors with two rooms... but after all there's only the figure to make, I have already the table and scribe's stuff available in my collection! :winky:
It could be the right occasion to make another tent model... the commander tent is still missing from my camp sets! :thumbup:
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Phersu  Italy

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Posted by Phersu on 07 Jul 2017, 11:57

Phersu wrote:Thank you!



It'a a part of the legs armor... I noticed such extra upper protection for the legs in some Etruscan statues and frescos or basreliefs.
I never spotted it in other ancient armors from other cultures, I don't know how diffused it was but I like it... and it seem some kind of particular distinguishing feature of some Etruscan armors, like the frequent "donkey ears" Attic helmets.



Ideed, the killed scribe will be a nice add to the scenery, and to complete the visual story... I imagine him still sit and leaning dead on the table with his papyrus rolls, stabbed in his back with the dagger still there... a quite dramatic scene! :drool:
Pity that in such position the frontal features are not visible, especially the rich clothes that misleaded the poor Mutius! :xd:
This will make a bit more complicate the minidiorama display, it's a tricky thing make the background tent interiors with two rooms... but after all there's only the figure to make, I have already the table and scribe's stuff available in my collection! :winky:
It could be the right occasion to make another tent model... the commander tent is still missing from my camp sets! :thumbup:
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Phersu  Italy

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Posted by Carlos on 09 Jul 2017, 22:02

good work, really nice, the scene is well captured and each figure is playing its role clearly. Like a ot the guard in the left side.
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Posted by Chariobaude on 09 Jul 2017, 22:09

Leonardo, you're an incredible artist !! WOW !!
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Chariobaude  France
 
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Posted by sberry on 13 Jul 2017, 09:34

Phersu wrote:It'a a part of the legs armor... I noticed such extra upper protection for the legs in some Etruscan statues and frescos or basreliefs.
I never spotted it in other ancient armors from other cultures, I don't know how diffused it was but I like it... and it seem some likd of particular distinguishing feature of some Etruscan armors, like the frequent "donkey ears" Attic helmets.

This extra protection of the upper leg was not as common as greaves, but it is not totally exotic either in both Greece and Italy. One exemplar has been found in Olympia (says Connolly, so I suppose it's true). Reconstructions of Etruscan and other early Italian warriors show this quite often (see e.g. Osprey MAA 282, plate C; and Osprey Warrior 156, p. 31).
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sberry  Germany
 
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Posted by Phersu on 21 Jul 2017, 20:05

Thank you my friends!
I decided, coming soon... also the dead scribe!
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Phersu  Italy

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Posted by Phersu on 06 Aug 2017, 16:11

And finally also the murdered Scribe is done!

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And the characters and accessories for the main and background scenes are complete...

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Now there is only the minidiorama display to finish... a base showing a section of the King's tent, which is almost done... and just to add some accessories for the interiors.
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Phersu  Italy

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Posted by sberry on 06 Aug 2017, 20:24

I love this work!
The whole scene looks very lively and well done. The scribe, with this pose, is really something different and not seen before. (And without the dagger, one could also use this pose as a clerk who takes a little nap in the office ...)
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Posted by Peter on 14 Nov 2017, 19:23

Excellent work again Leo! :thumbup:
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