Brian Hochstrat’s artistic rendering of famous scenes from Ludovico Arrosto’s Orlando Furioso (1516) on Tom Overeynder’s paired folding daggers accurately captures the passion and drama of Italian Renaissance story telling.
Set against the historical backdrop of Charlemagne defending Paris against Saracen invaders from the east, this hilarious tale has more to do with the misadventures of Charlemagne’s paladins and the equally confused Saracen warriors.
Knife I The Rescue of Angelica
Scene 1 features Angelica, Saracen beauty and unobtainable love object in her darkest moment. While fleeing the pursuit of love-stricken Orlando, foremost of Charlemagne’s paladins and enemy of her people, Angelica is captured by locals who need a sacrificial maiden to appease the vicious beast lately tormenting their village.
Scene 2 introduces Orlando’s friend and fellow paladin Ruggiero as he, assisted by a winged hippogriff, severs the beast’s vitals with his blade, thus securing Angelica’s freedom. This would be a good thing but for ensuing femme fatale chaos whereby Orlando’s obsession with Angelica drives him insane and spawns many other calamities.
