Tuesday 20 April 2010

Nag Nag Nag

I'm afraid I can be unkind at times. My relatives are inclined to agree, although they replace the 'at times' with 'usually' while gently indicating their disapproval and urging me to reform. That Stadden horse is feeling the full brunt of this callous side to my nature. Having been frankly unimpressed by what I consider to be the deficiencies in its anatomy, I decided that a steed of such ignoble character warranted a paint job to match.




Oick On Horseback

"It was a Beaunese sheltie, of about twelve or fourteen years of age, yellow as an orange, without any hair on its tail, but abundance of galls on its legs, and which, whilst carrying its head lower than its knees, yet managed gallantly its eight leagues a day."


Anyone who has read the book will not fail to recognise Dumas's description of the horse that propelled Dartagnan from the parental home to Paris. When Dumas wrote "The Three Musketeers" in 1844, he could assume his readers would be familiar with horses and popular prejudices towards their appearance: we can be sure that the colour is not intended to recommend the animal to us.


It seemed to me, at the time of painting, that such a apparition might, in this case, suit admirably. On reflection, it seems my imagination has gotten the better of me: I have produced some poor oick mounted on a nag that no gentleman of quality would be seen dead on. Oh well, I shall try and palm it off on visiting generals.

6 comments:

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Morning Andy,

Your Suren general and his horse look nice. . . despite your misgivings.

Best Regards,

Stokes

Bluebear Jeff said...

As soon as I read your disapproving comments about the horse I thought of Dartagnan's yellow horse . . . and lo, you had too.


-- Jeff

Fitz-Badger said...

ha ha
It is a darn sight better than the nag Monsieur d'Artagnan rode! Maybe the officer is of a very provincial family... commander of some militia or similar rabble?

Andy Mitchell said...

I'm leaning to the idea of making him the CO of my artillery: this arm was generally looked down upon by the noblesse and gentry.

Snickering Corpses said...

Well, for what it's worth, I like him and would gladly use him on the tabletop were I ever to have the opportunity. :) I might just have to imitate this paint job, actually, when I get back to painting my own.

tidders2 said...

Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him, looks great

-- Allan