This is an old idea I had for a thread, but I'm now going ahead with it. I just got back from New York and while there, I of course visited several museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum. Four years ago (jesus, it's been that long?!), I also visited the Louvre in Paris with Aaz. Along the way I've come across many pieces, be they art or sculpture or armor, that instantly resonated with me in a way that could only have come from my exposure to Berserk.
First of all, it's no secret that Miura bases much of architecture and armor on existing designs. So then it's really not so significant to find direct parallels or even the germ of an amalgamation Miura created when strolling through a museum. Still, it's a great feeling to go from case to case and then run across something striking like these:
Well, there's certainly room for this thread to grow. There's hundreds, if not thousands of Berserkian designs that can be spotted in just about any museum in the world. Let's see what we come up with!
Here's a few places to start online, though of course it's no substitute for seeing them in person:
The Louvre: http://cartelen.louvre.fr/cartelen/visite?srv=car_not_frame&idNotice=8910
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/
PS: And yes, I know M.C. Escher's designs were an inspiration for the God Hand's appearance in volume 3, and the dimension shown in volume 9. No need to retread well-worn territory though. Expand your searches!
First of all, it's no secret that Miura bases much of architecture and armor on existing designs. So then it's really not so significant to find direct parallels or even the germ of an amalgamation Miura created when strolling through a museum. Still, it's a great feeling to go from case to case and then run across something striking like these:
| Remind you of anyone? This mirrors one of the overbearing impressions I got from looking at architecture and art in Paris. Everything tells a story -- and every story, etched in the filigree of very column and doorway, is H E R O I C and R O M A N T I C, on a Biblical scale. Everyone is remembered as beautiful and all the wars were grand and sweepingly heroic. I'm not trying to imply here that Miura saw this statue and created Griffith afterward. Rather, the idea of this kind of heroic character is ingrained in many facets of art in this period, and it's plastered all over the walls of Paris. Also, I couldn't help but think of Griffith with the light and shadows here creating the illusion of dark wings. This one's from Paris in one of the many random museums I visited. I can't recall the name. Because of this, I don't know who this bust is of, but really this is one of thousands like this. |
| The Kushan blight is invading New York! These are very common, but it was just interesting to me how acutely Miura transferred Turkish design onto Kushan design. Also shown are some katars, which Silat has been seen with on more than one occasion. I actually got the information from the Met on the helmets: mid 16th century; Ottoman period; Turkish; Steel, silver, damascened with gold; H. 10 3/4 in. (27.8 cm)(04.3.456a) |
| This really reminded me of Gaiseric's armor, shown in volume 10, or even just an apostle, given the grotestque, monstrous wings growing out of the figure's back. Of course, this particular piece is nothing unique, just a very ornate design on the armor -- another one of thousands, but this struck me the most of all the armors I saw at the Met that day. Still looking for the information on this one, I didn't copy it down =(. Fairly sure this is Renaissance period armor, based on the figure's depiction. |
| This looks like one of the many pieces of armor worn by the apostle army prior to their transformation. There were actually many, many helmets like these. One even had a rooster's head poking out of the top, reminding me of the chicken/ostrich apostle. |
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| It's pretty sad that it took me this long to realize this connection, since a copy of the painting hangs in front of my desk here at home. It's Napoleon coronating Josephine. |
Well, there's certainly room for this thread to grow. There's hundreds, if not thousands of Berserkian designs that can be spotted in just about any museum in the world. Let's see what we come up with!
Here's a few places to start online, though of course it's no substitute for seeing them in person:
The Louvre: http://cartelen.louvre.fr/cartelen/visite?srv=car_not_frame&idNotice=8910
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/works_of_art/collection_database/
PS: And yes, I know M.C. Escher's designs were an inspiration for the God Hand's appearance in volume 3, and the dimension shown in volume 9. No need to retread well-worn territory though. Expand your searches!