A medieval shield bearer fallen on the field - mail or padded jack, shield slipping from the arm, body posed mid-collapse rather than sprawled lifeless. Period: Battle of Grunwald, 15 July 1410.
Shield bearers and squires (armigeri) accompanied knights into the line, carrying spare lances, helmets, and the larger heater shields. Grunwald's casualty figures ran into the thousands; the field after the battle was famously littered with downed banners, broken arms, and trampled bodies.
Painting tips
- Padded jack: off-white linen or muted wool, dirty at the hem.
- Mail (if shown): dark steel with sepia wash.
- Shield: paint with a Crown or Order device per scene need.
- Mud and red-brown wash on the contact side; avoid bright blood.
Historical sources & further reading
- Medieval battlefield casualty studies
- Grunwald chronicle accounts
⚠ Small parts. Not suitable for children under 14.
