Sunday 30 October 2016

Is this real ?

In response to a post from 2015 when I made a critical remark in the first review of New Vanguard225 I got this comment.



Im sorry, but if you think that the illustrators at Osprey arent controlled by the author of the book and the editor, youre completely wrong and you dont know what youre talking about. All technical detail are pedantically verified twice, firstly on the pencil sketch and on the color plate, after. Trajanic Testudo included, read by yourself the extract from the brief (italian language): "Gli schieramenti Romani visibili potranno essere: la testuggine di fonte 20 o le truppe disposte in avanzata di fonte 21;" Giuseppe Rava-Illustrator on Osprey : Republican Roman Warship


Translation of the Italian (google)...
'The visible Romani camps (fighters? .me) will be: the tortoise source 20 or the troops stationed in advanced source 21'

The 'source's must be some reference material for the artist to work from.

I do not know if it was really from Sr. Rava.

If it was then it proves that the execution of the artwork was as it was meant to be after the author's requirements. The artist has followed a detailed brief and is only responsible for the style of his delivery which has, presumably, been accepted when he was signed-up for the book. Sr. Rava has illustrated a lot of books and several for Osprey.

One must conclude that it is actually Sr D' Amato who has the interesting interpretations of the ancient material.

And, of course, the Osprey editorial staff.