Mock Joust of War with Flying Shields and Without Bevors c. 1512 - 1515

This is a watercolor on paper entitled, ‘Mock Joust of War with Flying Shields and Without Bevors’ by an anonymous artist. Here we see a visualization of the spectacle, and the culture, of medieval jousting tournaments. Likely made in continental Europe, the image’s meaning relies on visual codes such as the symbolic animals atop the helms of the figures on the left, their costumes, and the horses. As an historian I am interested in what this image says about attitudes toward medieval culture at the time it was made. The level of detail in the drawing suggests it was intended for an aristocratic audience interested in chivalry and courtly love. To understand this image more fully, I would want to research the history of jousting, medieval arms and armor, and the symbolism of animals. This artwork shows us how the institutions of sport can comment on social structures, either self-consciously or unconsciously.