Macedonian elephant

[PhilC]

I painted a Persian Achaemenid army for DBA several years ago, but never managed to finish their historical opponents, first of them the Alexandrian Macedonians.
This is one of the elements of this unfinished army, the elephant.
Well, to be historically accurate, I must admit that the elephants were probably introduced in the macedonian army after the defeat of the Achaemenid empire... Anyway, a nice fig from Hät, although I had to replace the (very) soft original sarissa of the kit.
I hope you like it.

Phil.

[sberry]

Very nice paintjob, love the colors!

[Wiking]

As sberry say welll paint and colorfull.
Do the Elefant wear a golden bell ?

[Ben90]

Nicely done!

[Pieter]

Pukka paintjob, great color...!
Very nice pics...
Greetz Pieter

[MABO]

I did not like this set because is it quite simple in comparison to others but you bring it alive. It is a pleasure to look at it. My compliments!

[PhilC]

Hello, thank you all for your kind comments.

As sberry say welll paint and colorfull.
Do the Elefant wear a golden bell ?

It was (and apparently still is) common practice to attach a bell on indian elephants. I don't believe it was golden, but probably bronze.

By the way, you will notice that I didn't add any decorative paintings on the elephants, because I don't know whether it was a practice at the time of Poros and Alexander. I am very tempted to do so (the wonderful elephants painted by M.Cryns on Hät's website wear some). Does anyone know if it would be accurate ?

[Cryns]

Dear PhilC,

First of all my compliments for the painting of your elephant and riders.
I think you are right, Alexander probably did not use these elephants against the Persians, but recruited the Indian mahouts in Perisan service after the battle of Gaugamela against the armies of Indian kings (in modern day Pakistan) and thats probably what the HAT company had in mind when designing these.

I also like your base (no not the plastic one of the elephant but the whole tabletop): A neutral earth base color, on top of that different colors and structures of grass and turf. I can't see what this is. Is it just temporary scattered material? Or glued to the tabletop or cloth? What is so good about all of this is the figures have the brightest colors, while your landscape has only soft, earth colors and greens. So now the figures take all the attention, the landscape is just supporting that as a background.

By the way, you will notice that I didn't add any decorative paintings on the elephants, because I don't know whether it was a practice at the time of Poros and Alexander.

Before we ask ourselves if elephants where painted, we must ask ourselves: what are HAT's Indian figures (and so their Macedonian elephants) based upon? I believe all those sets were based on the reliefs that are still visible on the highly decorated Sanchi Stupa gates. The stupa itself is from the 3thC. BC but the gates are later, probably 2nd or 1st c. BC. Also its located in central India, and not near Pakistan at all.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanchi

That means 1000km away from where Alexander was, and also some centuries after that moment. If this is correct we should look at all of these Indian HAT figures as probables, possibles and related cultures. If we accept this 'freedom' of historical correctness, that should count for the painting of the elephants too.
Peter Conolly already gave King Porus' elephants some colored paint in his 1970's paintings. Thats no prove.
But all primitive peoples have always painted themselves, their caves and their mounts so the more early, the more probable it is in my opinion wether or not those elephants were painted by their mahouts. So I searched for modern day decoration patterns, focussed on white (chalk) and took out all the chemical, screaming colors that modern mahouts like to use.

[Carlos]

I don't konw nothing abouth history of macedonian elephants, but I can say thet the figures are very well painted. Think paint a large animals is not easy, large surfaces of the same color with so many relief, a very dificult work of ligths and shadows. And you did it very well.

[despertaferro]

Excellent!

[PhilC]

Thank you all for your comment.

Dear Mr Cryns, thank you for your kind comment and for the time you spent collecting elements for your very interesting answer. I am convinced, I will add paintings on my next elephant.
You are right, the terrain is very simple on purpose, it gives the figures nice, warm colors on photographs. And yes, the grass (train modelling accessory) is glued on the paper (an old piece of wallpaper found in the cellar ).

PhilC.

[Peter]

Wonderfull painted elephant and riders!

[Kekso]

Why didn't I made any comment on this one?
It is fantastic

[Bramble15]

Excellent work. Especially like the free hand design on the blanket/cover for the elephant.