Historical References: Pictures

This edition of HR will focus on visual references. In RL we all have an idea of what a bus looks like, the same goes for a gun, a trench-coat, a laptop, or any of the multitude of items that make up the scenery we pass through on an everyday basis. No so much for a fictional or historical setting.

One of my players told me that he finds the core-reference of Argos, the 17th Century, hard to imagine; it's not medieval, nor is it modern. This was the reason why I started this series, and in that vein I'll continue. This time I've scoured the internets for pictures that may aid the visualization of the world of Argos.

This view of a 17th century port is quite descriptive of almost any European port of the time. Artist: Marcin Jakubowski.

It's not the first time I've posted pictures of the latest fashion of the 1600's, nor will it be the last. Bear in mind that the people who could afford to be chic back then were fairly wealthy. In fact, back then you tended to dress as lavishly as you could afford. This picture is from The Costumer's Manifesto.

Pieter van Bloemen, a Flemish painter who lived 1657-1720 has painted this scene. It depicts a livestock market, and I believe it would be fair to say that when travelling overland you'd pass through quite a few of these. Source: Crocker Art Museum.

I have no idea what's going on in this picture, but it's called 'An Incident in the 17th Century', and it's painted by Francisco Domingo Marques. It would appear that the gentleman has taken offense by something the ruffian has said. It bears mentioning that said gentleman has loosened his cloak, and by the way he now carries it he is ready to use it defensively. It would also appear that he has drawn what may be a pistol, although from his stance I'd think a sword more likely. Having looked closer at the picture on other sites, I am now fairly convinced that it is indeed a sword, most likely a cup-hilted rapier. Source: 1st-Art-Gallery.

This kitchen should be fairly typical of a that of a large household or an inn. Source: the Isle of Man government website.

The ship in question, the galleon Our Lady of Juncal, was part of a fleet hit by a powerful storm in 1631 in “one of the greatest tragedies that has ever occurred in Mexican waters,” according to Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History.

I started this post with a view of a port, and so it is only fitting that the last one should be of a ship. I am well aware that sometime soon I have to devote a whole post to matters maritime, but that'll be another day. Quote and picture from the Maritime Texas blog.