Introduction
Today the term Landsknecht is more often than not associated with the type of German mercenary originating from what are presently Alsace, Baden Württemberg and the Austrian Tyrol, and who served through the reigns of Maximillian I and his grandson Charles V. The word ‘Landsknecht’ originally appeared in the German language in approximately 1470, and is thought to have been coined by Peter von Hagenbach, who is said to have commissioned troops such as these for the service of Charles the Bold of Burgundy. Landsknecht literally means ‘servant of the land’ however as early as 1500 the word had already transformed into Lanzknecht as the pike became the trademark of the foot soldier.
Ademola 22’s 200 0025 Landsknecht is a 200mm resin bust sculpted by Yury Serebryakov with Roman Rux having done the box-art.
What’s in the box?
Bust 200 0025 Landsknecht, cast in a light grey coloured resin, comes in a kit form consisting of the following six (6) parts:
Head and upper torso;
Two shoulders;
Purse;
Cap feather; and
Circular base plinth. The kit is packaged in an impressive black cardboard box with a glossy box-art photo attached to the front. The parts are packaged in two zip-lock bags, one for the head and torso, the other five parts in the second. The box contents are wrapped in copious amounts of bubble wrap to further prevent damage to the parts.
The Kit
Overall, the bust is well sculpted Yury Serebryakov, which is complimented by generally excellent casting.
The head is extremely well sculpted. The sculptor appears to have captured the likeness of a veteran Landsknecht quite convincingly. There is a lot of detail to be appreciated on this part, from the weather-beaten face and full, ragged beard to the tunic and oversized cap and large feather.
The casting is generally clean however there are two seam lines, one on each side of the torso, due a misalignment of the mould. Each seam runs from a low point on the cap down its respective side to the bottom of the piece. The right side seam is light, and while it should be easy to remove due to its weight, its spot under the cap may pose a small challenge. The left side seam is heavier, and runs from a casting block between the feather and cap (which should be removed) down the left flank. The heaviest section of the seam lies within the shoulder joint, and will be covered with the shoulder piece upon assembly. There is also a small casting blemish on the left cheek, however this can easily be flicked off with a sharp hobby knife. The head/torso piece features a large T-shaped casting block at the bottom of the part. Unfortunately part of the casting block falls within the female connector for the plinth, so modellers may need to drill this out.
The four remaining pieces which make up the bust, namely the two shoulders, the large cap feather, and curse, are finely sculpted and cast. The shoulders are not mere duplicates of each other, but right can be distinguished from left by the designs on the sleeves. The feather, like those cast to the cap, and impeccably sculpted and detailed. The positions of the large casting blocks, particularly those of the shoulders and feather, is unfortunate and may prove difficult to remove without damaging the detail.
The final piece, namely the base plinth, is well turned and cast. The plinth features a few minute holes as result of air pockets. These are not serious, however, and will probably simply be filled when the figure is primed. The underside of the plinth also features a small “lip”, which may be filed down prior to mounting.
Conclusion
Ademola 22’s 200 0025 Landsknecht is without a doubt a high quality product. The heavy casting blocks and the two seams will need to be carefully addressed, but once this is done, this bust will prove to be a magnificent canvas to paint upon.
This is the second bust from Ademola 22 that I have had the opportunity to review, and minor issues aside, I am not disappointed: recommended.
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