четверг, 2 октября 2008 г.

Balance Quintain - the game of commoners



France, 1500, coloured glass, silver stain, vitreous paint.

Man and woman are playing a strange game - she's sitting on a basket holding her foot against the man's foot. What are they doing?

Initially, the game of Quintain was a part of knight's exercises - they tried to strike a dummy or other target. Balance Quintain was a variation for those of a lower station, and by the XV century it became one of the court games, as is shown in this glasswork (probably, they are ascertaining what sheep is whose).

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