The Medieval Surcoat

 
Jonathan R. Baker
 
Avatar
 
 
Jonathan R. Baker
Total Posts:  625
Joined  27-03-2007
 
 
 
04 June 2007 20:19
 

Greetings,

As my family’s arms near completion, I had an idea that I thought worthwhile.  Since I am not able to paint an emblazonment of our arms myself (I’ll leave that to real artists), I decided to apply the arms to a craft that I can do, miniature painting.  I purchased the following miniature, which stands 54mm tall, and am planning to paint it up with our family’s achievement, and if it turns out well enough, I’ll give it to my father or grandfather.

http://www.andrea-miniatures.com/images/andrea/detallepeque/SM-F42-02.JPG

 

Now, the miniature arrived today, and I’ll begin the slow process of cleaning, assembling, and preparing the miniature for painting, but while I do so, I thought I’d do some research into the surcoat.  My question is this…The surcoat and cloak should be in the family’s colors, but how to represent the arms on them.  I’ve seen many examples where the surcoat is one color and features a single main charge, as in the picture above.  I’ve also seen surcoats that are quartered of the two main colors, with charges arranged in various ways.  I’ll continue to research the subject, but how should I render the chief on the surcoat.  Surely it’s not a direct replication of the shield.  Do I make the surcoat quartered, thus, giving equal weight to the field and the chief?

 

Opinions, pictures, and historical examples would be greatly appreciated.

 
MohamedHossam
 
Avatar
 
 
MohamedHossam
Total Posts:  967
Joined  03-12-2006
 
 
 
04 June 2007 22:46
 

I, for one, thought the surcoat was a replication of the shield. If I remember correctly, this is where the term "coat of arms" came from. Or is this a heraldic myth, such as the torse being an adaption of the Arab "ogal" by the Crusaders?

Cheers,

 
Guy Power
 
Avatar
 
 
Guy Power
Total Posts:  1576
Joined  05-01-2006
 
 
 
05 June 2007 03:51
 

I’ve seen various depictions—including a surcoat that is "diapered" with small shields of the armiger.

Ah .... finally found an example:

http://www.ahneninfo.com/de/ahneninfo/picture/liechtenstein.jpg

Aaaaahhhh…. found a larger:

http://www.knightsofavalon.com/Ulrich.jpg

www.knightsofavalon.com/Whittlesey.htm

 

Here’s my silly photoshop fun of how the original de Poer surcoat might have appeared:

 

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/6956/mailledepoer50rs9.jpg

Argent a chief indented Sable

 

Here is Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of ye Ysles with an appliqued surcoat:

http://www.colinmacdonald.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bannockburn2003/me.jpg

source:http://www.colinmacdonald.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bannockburn2003/index.html

 

Cheers,

—Guy