Castles and knights. Swords and shields. Peasants and princesses. I adore anything with strong medieval vibes. It’s why I feel so drawn to the Zelda series, which borrows heavily from the European middle ages (particularly the 14th and 15th centuries). The time period feels so fantastical it’s easy to forget it was real.
But that’s what makes it so appealing. It feels like an era when your worries never went much further than the city walls, and the divide between good and evil was as clear as the moat around said city.
And it’s why my entire soul was delighted seeing this beautiful artwork by alf-l, which paints Breath of the Wild with an unmistakably medieval brush.
Before I start gushing about how much I love the medieval look of this artwork, I should start with a disclaimer. As the artist alf-l herself states, this portrait of Link and Zelda in her study is actually more akin to Renaissance art. More specifically, it’s imitative of the rococo style. Rococo is characterized by soft colors and curves that give a delicate, light-hearted demeanor to paintings. It actually emerged in the 18th century.
Gasp, it’s not actually medieval then! Well, nevertheless, it evokes a “days gone by” era to me that fits just as wonderfully to 14th-century princesses and knights as it does to 18th-century French nobility. The middle ages art style would not have lent as much grace and whimsy to alf-l’s piece as this Renaissance style does. (Google “medieval art” and you’ll see what I mean.)
Anyway, I digress.
Breath of the Wild players will instantly recognize the reference to Zelda’s study here, and I love that alf-l chose to use it. Firstly, it’s beautifully portrayed with the rococo style. The muted colors and soft linework creates an air of realism, making Link and Zelda feel like people painted from a historic time more than video game characters.
Combine that with the simple yet charming setting, and the whole scene comes alive. The ornate furniture and surrounding books, the rising red velvet curtain, Zelda’s billowing dress, and the playful expressions that she and Link exchange … what we’re seeing unfold is a classic tale of a doting knight and smitten princess.
In my opinion, Link and Zelda never really interact this charmingly in Breath of the Wild, despite Link being assigned to protect her. It’s understandable, as Nintendo clearly wanted to divert from the passive, damsel portrayal of Zelda and shift to a more empowered one. There’s something so delightful though in the simplicity of a medieval romance (all problematic gender roles aside). And I can imagine it vividly between the two, now that I see it painted so beautifully.
Behind the dignified demeanor that is very becoming of a medieval princess, Zelda has a quiet air of excitement. She asks Link to tell her of his recent knightly adventures. Meanwhile, despite the respectful distance that a knight must keep in the presence of royalty, Link grows ever fonder of his routine shifts guarding her. He leans in to listen to her latest poem or eager retelling of the last book she read. Though they come from different worlds, they get to experience them through each other.
Can’t you imagine it too? Maybe one day, we’ll get this classic medieval legend of the princess and the knight.
