Del Prado · Figure Study
Cataloged as a French artilleryman of 1450, this Del Prado figure holds a short firearm to his shoulder. He wears a metal helmet and body protection, with a sword at his side. The supplied subject is a single handgunner, not a cannon and its crew.
Historical inspiration
Gunpowder weapons developed alongside older arms during the later Middle Ages. Their appearance did not instantly remove bows, crossbows, polearms or armor from warfare. The Royal Armouries’ account of the Hundred Years’ War includes handguns and artillery in that changing mixture. The 1450 date places the figure near the war’s final years.
Review
The shouldered firearm makes this a distinctive subject among shield-and-spear figures. The armor and sidearm preserve the mixed equipment of the period. Its main interest is the visible transition in weaponry, with the catalog’s broad “artilleryman” label clarified by what the sculpt actually holds.
Reference: Del Prado product identification. Review observations are based on the product reference photographs.
Related figures: Norman Knight 1025 · Norwegian Viking Warrior 872.