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Hello Planeteers,
I'm glad to announce our second 90mm release:
Ref: NT-02 – UKRAINIAN COSSACK 1650 – 90mm resin kit</div>[/doHTML]

Hello Planeteers,

I'm glad to announce our second 90mm release:

Ref: NT-02 – UKRAINIAN COSSACK 1650 – 90mm resin kit

"The Zaporozhian Cossacks lived on the southern steppes of modern Ukraine and played a decisive role in 17th century European geopolitics among their powerful neighbours – the Lithuanian-Poles, the Crimean Tatars and the Ottoman Turks –whose influences clearly showed in their clothing and weaponry.

The 11-part detailed figure depicts a high-ranking Cossack hetman whose status is reflected in his rich clothing and ornate weapons."


Since this is a not so common subject, I thought some explanation would be welcome.



The costume is typical Zaporozhian (Ukrainian) Cossack: Turkish-influenced sharovary trousers, a long linen button less shirt and the ubiquitous zupan (the widespread eastern European tunic).

Our man is dressed mainly in red, the favourite colour among the Zaporozhians and his rich garments and ornate weapons reflect his hetman (leader) high-ranking status.



His zupan, with the extra long, puffing sleeves (as per the fashion), is cut from damask silk. The gold threaded material for his sash belt is of Turkish or Persian origins.



His pistol is of a Caucasian/Cossack manufacture heavily ornate with silver wire inlays.

His sabre is a Polish karabela-type with a velvet-covered scabbard with gold and precious stone inlays.



The war hammer was a formidable weapon against armour and mail and was also used by the nobility as a walking stick until it was forbidden by the law for obvious reasons.

I hope that the above pointers will inspire you to delve further in this fascinating but rarely covered subject.

Cheers,

Quang

Excellent article and refferences Quang.....thanks for posting it.

Should be an easy sell to SWMBO! Awesome figure, can't wait to get my hands on one.

He's not just LARGE, he's SUPER SIZE!

Gorgeous sculpting and painting and a totally unique subject!

All the best,
Dan

I would like to say that Quang realy did his homework looking for any references about this Cossack. He even asked question about small detail sas smoking pipes that Cosacks used.

Here are few pictures that should serve you as references.

Ukrainian cossack



Old warrior



Same



Another cossack






Zaporog cosacks writing an answer to Sultan

BEAUTIFUL piece of work,Quang; WELL DONE !!!!
Kenneth.

Wow Quang!

it looks great painted!

Just would like to add that Żupan was exclusively the Polish nobility garment and only later on copied and addopted by the lower social classes within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was not a tunic - but rather a robe like garment as it can be seen in your web citation on the subject of zupan.
Traditionally in the Polish costume the woven, colorful belt was worn on/over the buttoned zupan but then this is a Cossak, although nobleman himself, and he makes his costume as it fits his purposes, I suppose.
As per color red popularity amongst the Zaporozhian Cossacks in the mid-17th century Europe - well, actually crimson red was the color most popular with the Polish szlachta aka nobility, especially Polish aristocrats known as magnates, and eventually came to denote in the Polish language the richest noblemen - karmazyni.
These magnates and rich lower nobility had the Armenian merchants import the most expensive red/crimson/scarlet Persian and Turkish silk textiles for themselves and the rest of nobility coppied this choice of color with inexpensive fabrics.
Generally speaking those rich red fabrics were made out of various grades of silk/wool thread often with some golden thread woven into it and as such the kermes dieyed textiles were expensive and beyond the financial means of the mid 17thc century Cossacks. Reds became more common and cheaper in the 18th century via the English mills production etc.
But obviously Cossack ataman/hetman could either afford or was most likely given, as a gift or spoil of war, such a red crimson zupan, he was not a common Cossack after all
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=...&oldid=42306052

great artwork
dario

I was lucky to see it in real this weekend.
My opinion is that we will see it on many contest tables next year. It is a great sculpt, and great painting.

When it was not so big, i think it is a must have for myself. But who know's

marc

Quang, Fantastic job my friend! It's great to see a thouroghly researched piece of sculpture.~Gary

Thanks folks, for your kind words.

And also an extra thank you to my two 'informants' Alexander and Dario for their additional input.

As to the points raised by Dario, I agree I ought to be more careful in my choice of words to describe the zupan.

On the other hand, it would interest you to know that 'tunique' in French depicts the same garment as a robe in English (a long garment with overlapping lapels) while a 'robe' in French means a 'gown' (like wedding gown) in English. It's all too easy for me to mix up the two languages especially when none of these two is my first language. Nonetheless, the word I used is misleading. Thanks to Dario for correcting it.

And also for Dario's input about the use of red among the Polish nobility and the nature and origins of the fabric.

Like every culture dominated by another, the Cossacks were inclined to imitate their more powerful neighbours the Poles. Therefore, their love for the colour red. Other examples spring to mind: the Gallic Celts under the Roman rule and the ancient Vietnamese under the Chinese domination.

It's also true that the sash, as per the fashion, was worn OVER the buttoned zupan.

The other fact is that zupan were also used as an over-garment especially by peasants and poorer folks who could not afford a kontusz (the proper over-garment worn over the zupan). This is what I decided for our man, to show his 'nouveau riche' condition, wearing an expensive garment but in an uneducated way. Conveniently, it also adds to his unruly character.

Another fact is that the wide, large sash belt came into fashion long after the mid-17th century. I tried a more accurate, thinner belt but it looked rather skimpy over our man's XXXL-sized waist. So I plead guilty for this artistic license.

A little known fact is that the Zaporozhians were fearsome maritime pirates. They roamed the Black Sea in small galleys attacking Turkish vessels and raiding towns on the Anatolian coast. Their booty comprised among others, rich textiles from the Ottoman empire, the main source of their rich garments depicted on the figure.

As one can see, this is a lesser known subject but nevertheless exciting and full of surprises.

And now, anybody cares for a Towarzysz pancerny

Quang