Historical Research by Eugenio Larosa, FAMALEONIS
Craftsmanship by Ezio Zanini, VIDUQUESTLA
Accessories by Marco di Sarò, LABORTEMPORIS
This command staff is more than a trophy; it is a tribute to tradition, valor, and the balance between honor and authority. With the dragon’s symbol and relic, it evokes the timeless struggle between good and evil, celebrating the ideals that this competition seeks to honor.
Presenting the command staff to the winner of the TORNEOINARMATURA 2024 is an honor, symbolizing distinguished leadership and martial dignity awarded to the most deserving warrior. In medieval military history, the command staff was a powerful symbol of authority granted to a commander upon his formal investiture.
Frequently depicted in 15th-century iconography, this emblem represented the Captain General's military authority and responsibilities.
Seen in both artistic representations and monumental statues or tombs, the staff is associated with great leaders of the time, such as Francesco Sforza, Bartolomeo Colleoni, Gattamelata, Niccolò III d'Este, Federico da Montefeltro, Roberto Malatesta, and others.
Thus, the command staff is not just a functional object; it becomes a status symbol, illustrating rank and prestige within the medieval military hierarchy.
A STAFF FOR THE TOURNAMENT
Traditionally, the staff's design varies, with the most common being a simple, round red rod. For this event, however, we looked to more intricate, ornamented versions to represent the authority and distinction of its bearer. The design is inspired by a mid-15th-century Florentine cassone panel.
This work, attributed to a hypothetical "Master of the Cassone," depicts a battle scene with a warrior holding a gilded staff. This private collection piece has appeared in exhibitions since 1979, providing an authentic reference for the command staff's role in Renaissance iconography.
CRAFTMANSHIP AND SYMBOLS
The creation of the staff was entrusted to the artisan Ezio Zanini, an expert in woodworking, with precious metal accessories crafted by Marco di Sarò from the Labortemporis Atelier. Together, they have previously collaborated on prestigious awards for this event.
Entirely handmade, the staff features symbolic decorations, particularly the four virtues that embody the ideal qualities of a warrior. These are represented through imagery from the Flos Duellatorum, one of the earliest fencing manuals of the 15th century:
Audatia (Courage): A lion holding a heart under its paw, symbolizing bravery, with an inscription stating:
Piu de mi lione non porta cor ardito / Pero de bataia faço a zaschaduno inuito
(None holds a bolder heart than I, the lion, inviting all to battle.)
Fortitudo (Strength): An elephant bearing a castle on its back, symbolizing endurance, with the text:
Ellefant son e uno castello ho per cargho / E non me inçenochio ni perdo uargho
(I am the elephant bearing a castle, I do not kneel nor lose my charge.)
Fortitude is the moral virtue that, in times of difficulty, ensures steadfastness and perseverance in the pursuit of good. It strengthens one’s resolve to resist temptations and overcome obstacles in moral life. The virtue of fortitude empowers one to conquer fear, even the fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions.
Celeritas (Speed): A tiger or leopard holding an arrow, embodying the swiftness required of warriors, with the verse:
Yo tigro tanto son presto a corer e uoltare / Che la sagita del cello non me po avancare
(As swift as a tiger, I run and turn, faster than the arrow in the sky.)
Prudentia (Prudence): A lynx holding a sextant, symbolizing measured actions, accompanied by:
Meio de mi’louo ceruino non uede creatura / E aquello meto sempre a sesto e mesura
(No creature sees better than I, the lynx, I weigh and measure all.)
Prudence, alongside Fortitude, is one of the four cardinal virtues and represents the ability to discern good from evil, truth from falsehood, and right from wrong. A person who exercises Prudence is able to pursue their goals with clarity and realism, free from undue influence and hesitation.
CREATION PROCESS (by Ezio Zanini)
The staff was crafted through a blend of lathe work, carving, and engraving. Once the cylindrical shape was defined, the handle’s spiral twist was carefully carved, designed to provide an ergonomic grip. This twist became an opportunity to add two intertwined dragon forms along the shaft, symbolizing the constant rise and fall of fortune.
The polyhedron’s faces display carved images of the four virtues, taken from Flos Duellatorum, while the spheres at each end are detailed with symbols. The lower sphere features a medallion of Saint George slaying the dragon, crafted by Labortemporis, while the upper sphere conceals a "dragon tooth" relic, a tribute to the legendary clash between Saint George and the dragon, symbolizing the timeless battle between good and evil.
Additional details include a cup-shaped ornament symbolizing abundance and prosperity.
To highlight these symbolic elements, different finishes were applied: gold leaf for the dragon's scales and the spheres, a marbled effect for the carved figures and cup, and a rich red handle, a historic symbol of command. After carving, the staff was given a gesso coating, base layer, painted elements, and metallic leaf gilding, then sealed with natural shellac.
