DOI Heft:
No. 2-3
DOI Artikel:Żygulski, Zdzisław; Rembrandt; Rembrandt [Ill.]: Rembrandt's "Lisowczyk": a study of costume and weapons
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17160#0075
centuries and later adopted by the Ilimgarians and the Poles. In Poland they remained in fashion
umil the XVII century and were especially popular in the time of King Sigismond III, whence
they were called „Sigismond" sabres (fig. 26). More can be said on the second sabre, strapped
to the saddle, held by the Lisowczyk under the right thigh. Such was the manner of holding
estocs by the Polish hussars (heavy armoured cavalry). The esloc — a thrusting sword — was
a special weapon with a long, stiff, narrow blade of sąuare or diamond section uscd in battle
after the breaking of lances. According to the evidence of many iconographic sources both Polish
and Hungarians hussars held the estoc under the right or left thigh. The place of holding (right
or left) cannot be taken as an indicator of nationality, thus Held's supposition must be rejected.
No estocs were used by the light cavalry, but after the hussar fashion (the hussars were the
leading formation of the Polish army in the XVII century), the officers of light troops sometimes
adorjted the second sabre and strapjjed it to the saddle. Such a sabre was as a rule heavier than
the side-weapon and often lavishly ornamented; there are some speciments of this type in the
Polish armouries. The sabre in the picture has a pistol-shaped hilt of stcel with a ring on top
which is attached to the quillons by a chain (a feature found in many other Polish sabres); the
straight ąuillons is also button ended; the scabbard is probably covered with velvet, the rnoun-
ting heing of chiselled silver32.
The Lisoivczyk possesses also the typical arms of the Polish light cavalry: a bow and a quiver
with arrows (fig. 27— 28). Only a smali fragment of the bow is visible but it is enough to say
that it belongs to a specific variety of Asiatic type produced only in Poland by Armenian artisans
living in the Eastern towns of the State, chiefly in Lwów. A very similar example of an actual
Polish bow of the XVII century survives in the Armoury of the Czartoryski Collection in Kraków
(fig. 31). It is built of ash wood and horn, bound with brown leather, mounted in brass at each
end. Ali the outer features undeniably resemble the Lisowczyfcs bow 33. The latter is worn on the
belt in a specific sheath just visible in the picture. The quiver, hanging on the right side, as usual
with the Polish riders, is made of leather, covered with silver coloured fabric and decorated with
brass mounts. This is an oriental form of quiver very well established in Poland. Three arrows
put into the outer pocket of the quiver are ready for quick use. Bows and quivers, more and more
supplanted by the fire-arm, were respeeted in the XVII century Poland as a sign of noble class
serving in the army. Kept and worn with the costume with great pietism, a great number o
examples have survived in this country (fig. 29 — 30).
The saddle and harness match the generał style of the Lisoivczyk. Ali together form an inse-
parable union of shapes and fuuctions. The saddle is fairly smali but high, visiblc only at the bow
which is protected by brass plates and in narrow portion of the leather covered seat. This saddle
is quite different from those common in Turkey, Persia, Russia and Ilungary and suits perfectly
the Polish (and Cossack) styles31. It is for battle and not for paradę; the same is true of the
brass stirrups adjusted to the hoots, strapped to the saddle with short leathers.
A leopard skin is used as a saddle cloth. Here we see the further operation of hussar fashion
which influenced so strongly the generał style of Polish cavalry. The hussars largely adopted
skins of wild animals (tiger, leopard or woif skins), applying them to the costume or horsc trapping,
32. Held's supposition that one of the sabres is of Karabela type sbould he corrected. The Karabela type of Polish sabre
was not used for battle but only for civil wear and was most popular in the XVIII century.
33. The author wishes to thank Mr Jerzy Werner for the detailed examination and determination of both bows. Mr Werne.
is preparing a large study on historical archery in Poland.
34. See: Z. Żygulski (jr), ,,Ze studiów nad dawną sztuką siodlarską", Rozprawy i sprawozdania Muzeum Narodowego w Kra-
kowie, V, Kraków, 1959.
65
umil the XVII century and were especially popular in the time of King Sigismond III, whence
they were called „Sigismond" sabres (fig. 26). More can be said on the second sabre, strapped
to the saddle, held by the Lisowczyk under the right thigh. Such was the manner of holding
estocs by the Polish hussars (heavy armoured cavalry). The esloc — a thrusting sword — was
a special weapon with a long, stiff, narrow blade of sąuare or diamond section uscd in battle
after the breaking of lances. According to the evidence of many iconographic sources both Polish
and Hungarians hussars held the estoc under the right or left thigh. The place of holding (right
or left) cannot be taken as an indicator of nationality, thus Held's supposition must be rejected.
No estocs were used by the light cavalry, but after the hussar fashion (the hussars were the
leading formation of the Polish army in the XVII century), the officers of light troops sometimes
adorjted the second sabre and strapjjed it to the saddle. Such a sabre was as a rule heavier than
the side-weapon and often lavishly ornamented; there are some speciments of this type in the
Polish armouries. The sabre in the picture has a pistol-shaped hilt of stcel with a ring on top
which is attached to the quillons by a chain (a feature found in many other Polish sabres); the
straight ąuillons is also button ended; the scabbard is probably covered with velvet, the rnoun-
ting heing of chiselled silver32.
The Lisoivczyk possesses also the typical arms of the Polish light cavalry: a bow and a quiver
with arrows (fig. 27— 28). Only a smali fragment of the bow is visible but it is enough to say
that it belongs to a specific variety of Asiatic type produced only in Poland by Armenian artisans
living in the Eastern towns of the State, chiefly in Lwów. A very similar example of an actual
Polish bow of the XVII century survives in the Armoury of the Czartoryski Collection in Kraków
(fig. 31). It is built of ash wood and horn, bound with brown leather, mounted in brass at each
end. Ali the outer features undeniably resemble the Lisowczyfcs bow 33. The latter is worn on the
belt in a specific sheath just visible in the picture. The quiver, hanging on the right side, as usual
with the Polish riders, is made of leather, covered with silver coloured fabric and decorated with
brass mounts. This is an oriental form of quiver very well established in Poland. Three arrows
put into the outer pocket of the quiver are ready for quick use. Bows and quivers, more and more
supplanted by the fire-arm, were respeeted in the XVII century Poland as a sign of noble class
serving in the army. Kept and worn with the costume with great pietism, a great number o
examples have survived in this country (fig. 29 — 30).
The saddle and harness match the generał style of the Lisoivczyk. Ali together form an inse-
parable union of shapes and fuuctions. The saddle is fairly smali but high, visiblc only at the bow
which is protected by brass plates and in narrow portion of the leather covered seat. This saddle
is quite different from those common in Turkey, Persia, Russia and Ilungary and suits perfectly
the Polish (and Cossack) styles31. It is for battle and not for paradę; the same is true of the
brass stirrups adjusted to the hoots, strapped to the saddle with short leathers.
A leopard skin is used as a saddle cloth. Here we see the further operation of hussar fashion
which influenced so strongly the generał style of Polish cavalry. The hussars largely adopted
skins of wild animals (tiger, leopard or woif skins), applying them to the costume or horsc trapping,
32. Held's supposition that one of the sabres is of Karabela type sbould he corrected. The Karabela type of Polish sabre
was not used for battle but only for civil wear and was most popular in the XVIII century.
33. The author wishes to thank Mr Jerzy Werner for the detailed examination and determination of both bows. Mr Werne.
is preparing a large study on historical archery in Poland.
34. See: Z. Żygulski (jr), ,,Ze studiów nad dawną sztuką siodlarską", Rozprawy i sprawozdania Muzeum Narodowego w Kra-
kowie, V, Kraków, 1959.
65