The Battle of Hastings by Tom Lovell

This page is dedicated to my favorite historical artist. I have seen many depictions of the battle of Hastings, but none to rival Lovell's, commisioned years ago by the National Geographic. This set of pictures I took from the Internet (the grey-scale study) and my copy of the book The Art of Tom Lovell.


Grey-scale concept study
This pencil (grey-scale) concept study I never even knew existed until I found a picture of it on the Internet (whilst "deep surfing" for battle of Hastings content): supposedly it is up for auction, with the first bid set at $2,500 !


The color rough
Included in the art book is this "thumbnail" of a color rough.


The battle of Hastings finished
Bishop Odo probably did not actively get involved in the main cavalry charges as Lovell depicts here: but it is a wonderful image just the same. I assume that if the bishop did any whacking on Englishmen with his baculum it would most likely have been toward the end of the battle; when every able-bodied man was desperately needed to break the defensive shield-wall before night overtook the Normans. The wooden mace was evidently an insignia of command status, and Odo (as well as duke William) would have used it most often to "rally" (persuade) their own troops to valor.

Many years ago, I did a pencil drawing of Hastings, inspired by Lovell's painting.

BACK