er'he .

9fcademy of the Sword

ILLUSTRATED FENCING BOOKS 1500-1800

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

efhe !Academy # the Sword
ILLUSTRATED FENCING BOOKS 1500-1800

Donald]. LaRocca

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK

This publication is issued in conjunction with the exhibi- Black-and-white photography by Susanne Cardone
tion "The Academy of the Sword: Illustrated Fencing and Paul Lachenauer of The Photograph Studio,
Books, 1500-1800," held at The Metropolitan Museum of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Art, New York, from June 9, 1998, to fall of 1999.
Printed and bound by Malloy Lithographing, Inc.,
This publication is made possible byJoseph A. Suarez, Esq., Ann Arbor, Michigan
The Armor and Arms Club of New York, and the Grancsay
Fund. Cover illustration: Anthon Friedrich Kahn, Anfangsgriinde
der Fechtkunst ... (see page 18)
Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
John P. O'Neill, Editor in Chief LaRocca, Donald].
Barbara Cavaliere, Editor The academy of the sword: illustrated fencing
Sean Flaherty, Production books 1500-1800 / Donald]. LaRocca.
Design by Robert Weisberg p. cm.
Exhibition heldJune 1998 through the fall of 1999
Copyright © 1998 by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
New York ISBN 0-87099-894-3 (pbk.)
1. Fencing in art-Exhibitions. 2. Fencing-

Second printing 1999 Textbooks-Illustrations-Exhibitions. 3. Illustrated

books-New York (State)-New York-Exhibitions.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be 4. Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y:).
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, Arms and Armor Dept. I. Metropolitan Museum of
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, record- Art (New York, N.Y:) II. Title.
ing, or any information storage and retrieval system, with- N82!7.F4L37 1998
out permission in writing from the publishers. 796.86-dc21 98-50294
eIP
'Introduction
The Academy of the Sword centers on an assemblage of with bouts between unarmored duelists but continue to
rare illustrated books devoted to the subject of fencing include the use of several different weapons: sword and
and dueling, drawn (with one exception) from the library rapier used alone or in tandem with a· dagger, shield, or
of the Arms and Armor Department of The Metropolitan even a cloak in the left hand; the use of the two-handed
Museum of Art. The title is taken from Girard Thibault's sword, spear, halberd and quarter-staff; and methods of
Academie de l'Espee (Leiden, 1628), the most lavish fencing unarmed combat. By the early seventeenth century the
book ever produced, which was kindly lent by the rapier, a long, slender thrusting sword, began to domi-
Museum's Thomas J. Watson Library. Accompanying the nate as the gentleman's weapon of choice, and most
books and giving vivid impact to their illustrations are a books of the period become increasingly devoted to the
selection of swords, rapiers, parrying daggers, bucklers, use of the rapier alone or with a left-hand dagger. During
and other accoutrements, which follow the chronology the course of the ｣･ｮｴｵｲｾ as civilian fencing techniques
of, and changes in, fighting styles depicted in the books. became more specialized and refined, the rapier devel-
These weapons were frequently treated not only as oped into a lighter, trimmed-down weapon known by
sidearms, but also as fashionable costume accessories. about 1700 as the smallsword. The smallsword, often
The decoration of hilts, scabbards, and belts often exem- richly decorated, remained an integral part of a gentle-
plifies the prevailing artistic styles of a given period, man's wardrobe until the wearing of swords in civilian
from Renaissance and Mannerism through Baroque and settings went out of fashion at the end of the eighteenth
Rococo to Neoclassical. Hilts were designed by well- ｣･ｮｴｵｾ at which time pistols were replacing swords as
known engravers such as Hans Sebald Beham and Virgil the weapons most frequently used in personal duels.
Solis, leading goldsmiths including Wenzel Jamnitzer During the early nineteenth century swordsmanship pro-
and Luigi Valadier, and major artists from Hans Holbein gressively diverged between military training and sport-
and Giulio Romano to Jacques Louis David. ing practice, from which modern competitive fencing
Today the term "fencing" calls to mind familiar developed.
images of a competitive sport, but in the past, rather Between 1500 and 1800 fencing was known as "the art
than a sporting event, "fencing" referred to practical and science of defense." The books and weapons
methods of self-defense. Early books on fencing, prior to included in The Academy of the Sword offer an overview of
about 1800, were concerned with the proper handling ways in which fencing was taught and the arms with
of weapons, which was an integral part of the education which it was practiced during these three centuries.
of European noblemen. Formalized training in the use of
arms was also widely practiced by sons of the middle
class-burghers, merchants, and craftsmen. This democ-
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ratization of martial skills was due in part to the dissem-
ination of illustrated fencing books, written by the Valuable help regarding the history of fencing and
foremost Masters of Arms-highly regarded profession- fencing books was generously given by J. Christoph
als who were skilled in the use of weapons. Amberger, Richard J. Gradkowski, and S. Matthew
The earliest book included here is a sixteenth-century Galas. Advice concerning translations was kindly
manuscript copy of a fifteenth-century treatise, which provided by Stefano Carboni, Helmut Nickel, and James
deals principally with judicial single combat between D. Lavin. Our gratitude is also extended to Joseph A.
armored opponents equipped with a variety of weapons. Suarez, Esq., and The Armor and Arms Club of New
Most fencing books of the sixteenth century are concerned York, whose support made this publication possible.

3
 Books

Hans Talhoffer
German, recorded 1435-82
Fechtbuch (Fencing Book)
Gift of Miss Marguerite Keasbey, 1926 26.236

This volume is a rare early-sixteenth-century copy of one sections devoted to the procedures for fighting judicial
of the earliest surviving European fencing manuals, Hans combats both with and without armor, and the use of the
Talhoffer's influential Fechtbuch (Fencing Book), written in weapons employed in such combats, including the highly
1443. Talhoffer was following a tradition established by specialized Stechschilde (thrusting shields), maces, long
Johannes Liechtenauer, an itinerant master swordsman of swords, spears, and daggers. There are also sections on:
the fourteenth century who recorded the secrets of his knife fighting and wrestling, the latter based on the meth-
fighting techniques in the form of cryptic verses. The ods of Ott the Jew, a renowned wrestling master to the
Talhoffer manuscript includes verses from Liechtenauer, archdukes of Austria.

4
Maximilian I, von Habsburg
i\usDian,1459-1519
Weisskunig (The White King)
Vienna, 1775

Weisskunig is an allegorical autobiography written by including the mastery of swordsmanship and other martial
Maximilian (who reigned as king of the Romans from 1486 skills. Hans Burgkmair (1473-1531) designed 117 of the
and as Holy Roman Emperor from 1493) and his private woodcuts, some of which are considered among his most
secretary Marx Treitzsaurwein (d. 1527) beginning about accomplished works. One of many elaborate projects ini-
1506. Illustrated with 251 woodcut prints, the book tells the tiated by Maximilian to perpetuate his memory, the book
story of Maximilian's life and describes his many talents, was not published in its entirety until this edition of 1775.

5
 SEC 0 N DO i1
SECVITA EL SECO'NDO LIBRO ELo.. VALE TRATTAj
DE ABATTIMENTI DE ARME DA FILO VA
RIATE LVNO DA LALTRO.

([cap.; ',Che dinot:l Spada ePugnale.

'A V EST 0 S IE vnoabatrlmrnto moltoperfetto,pcr fure ｾ､ｴｲｯ｣｡
'<-- bte de S ada Pugnale Bo(ogllefe:Nota che tu che vorrai infegna
re he in rane de fare,a COl1ellate n5 fe po fure piu che in Ii feriri natu
ralmentc.cioe mandrirto, crouerfo,e £locata,ma piu tc dico,chel fe p fare mol
ti altri feriri,ma generalmcte quafi ogni h mo rira coll.Hora nota che ho fl:ra
corro de funtalia bona/& ogli melTe,quc1e cofe che a me hanno parfe piu ｾ･ｲ｢
a
ue,& piu vole/per vno che haudTe a combattcte che nora per regola vera,

Achille Marozzo
Italian, born 1484
Opera nova de Achille Marozzo Bolognese, mastro generaIe
de l'arte de l'armi Marozzo's stated aim was to explain the proper use of all
(New Work by Achille Marozzo of Bologna, Master General weapons necessary to a man in defending his honor. He
of the Art of Arms) includes the use of the sword alone and with a dagger held
Modena, 1536 in the left hand or with different types of small shields or
even with a cloak. (wrapped around the left arm); of two
Marozzo was among the earliest in a long line of renowned swords (one in each hand); of the large two-handed
Bolognese swordsmen who published influential fencing sword; and of various types of shafted weapons (spears,
books. His Opera Nova was reprinted several times between pikes, halberds, etc.). One chapter is devoted to unarmed
1536 and 1568 and is considered the first printed fencing defense against the dagger. Marozzo also discusses the rules
book to have received relatively wide distribution. governing formal single combat between noblemen.

6
Achille Marozzo
Italian, born 1484
Arte dell'armi di Achille Marozzo Bolognese
(The Art of Arms, by Achille Marozzo of Bologna)
Venice, 1568

Published after Marozzo's death, the text, with some mod- probably referring to Juan Manrique, chamberlain to
ifications to reflect changes in fighting styles, remains basi- Elizabeth Valois (1545-1568), queen of Spain. Fontana goes
cally that of the Opera Nova of 1536. The original woodcuts on to mention his illustrations for another fencing book,
have been replaced with engravings by Giovanni Battista Camillo Agrippa's Trattato di Scienza d'Arme, published
Fontana (1524-1587), and Giulio Fontana (d. 1569). Giulio two weeks before Marozzo's Arte dell'Armi, which he had
Fontana added a new preface to the 1568 edition dedicated also dedicated to Don Giovanni Manriche.
to Don Giovanni Manriche, Camerieri di S. M. Cesarea,

Camillo Agrippa
Italian, active 1535-95
Trattato di scienza d'armeet u.n dialogo in detta materia
.
.:1 11
.
Caf.\,Il.
(Treatise on the Science of Arms and a Dialogue on the Same
Theme)
Venice, 1568

The first edition of the Trattato was published by

Agrippa in Rome in 1553 with a dedication to Cosimo
de Medici (1519-1574), duke of Florence. This is the
second edition, with new illustrations by Giulio
Ｎｾｮ｡ｴ ｯｆ Both editions conclude with a philosophi-
cal dialogue between Agrippa and the humanist
writer Annibale Caro (1507-1566), famous for his ver-
nacular translation of Virgil's Aeneid. Unlike.
Marozzo, Agrippa was not a professional in the sci-
ence of arms. However, Agrippa's fighting tech-
niques were innovative, based on practical
application, and in many ways represented an
improvement upon Marozzo's methods. Agrippa's
other published works concern engineering, mathe-
matics, and philosophy.

7
 RAGIONE

DI ADOPRAR
SlCVRAME TE VARME
SI DA OFF£SA, COMe DA DlFESA,

Con lin Trallalo dell'inganno, & con un modo di elfer-

cirarfi da fe lIelfo, per acquilbrc forza)
giudicio) & prelleua,

DIG I A COM 0 DIG R ASS I.

CO I'RIVrLF.GIO.

Tn Vtntti" J ilppr1fo GIordAno Zilrtti J &' roTl1!"gn; .

M D LXX.

Giacomo eli Grassi Di Grassi's techniques exemplified the widely emulated

Italian, active second half of the r6th century Italian school. His book became the frrst surviving
Ragione di adoprar sicuramente l'arme si da offesa, come da difesa, English-language fencing book when it was translated and
con un trattato dell'inganno, &- con un modo di essercitarsi da se published in London in 1594. The majority of di Grassi's
stesso, per acquistareforza, giudicio, &- prestezza text is devoted to fencing with sword and dagger, buckler,
(The Correct Method of Safely Using Arms, Both for Offense, as Well as or cloak, in addition to use of the sword alone. He looks
for Defense, with a Treatise on Deceit, and with a Way to Train on forward to advanced rapier techniques of the seventeenth
One's Own, in Order to Obtain Strength, Judgment, and Dexterity) century by stressing the superiority of a thrust over a cut-
Venice, r570 ting blow whenever possible. He was the frrst to catego-
rize the sword blade as having four sections distinctly
suited for attack or defense, and to defrne the concept of
"lines" of defense-inside, outside, high, or low-as they
are still understood in modern fencing.

8
 ｾ｡Ｖ brittt ＡｩＨｾｴ {1¢tn ｴｲ｣ｾｇ ･ L 71
ｾＭｾ ｾ

\ ｉｾＮＧ
"

Angelo Viggiani ABOVE

Italian, active second half of the 16th century
Lo schermo d'Angelo Viggiani dal Montone da Bologna Joachim Meyer
(Fencing, by Angelo Viggiani dal Montone, from Bologna) German, active 16th-17th century
Venice, 1575 Grii.ndtliche Beschreibung derfreyen ritterlichen unnd adelichen Kunst
des Fechtens in allerley gebreuchlichen Wehren mit vii schOnen und
Viggiani,. who had been a soldier under the emperor niitzlichen Figuren gezieret undfii.rgestellet
Charles V; wrote this book in 1560 after leaving imperial (A Thorough Description of the Free Knightly and Noble Art of
service and returning to his homeland. It was published Fencing, in All the Typical Guards, Adorned and Arranged with
posthumously some ftfteen years later by Viggiani's Many Beautiful and Usqitl Figures)
brother Battista. Like Agrippa and di Grassi, Viggiani Strasbourg, 1570
emphasized the use of the thrust as more effective than Gift of Christian A. Zabriskie, 1957 57.IIS
the cut, going further than his predecessors in deftning
positions for attacking with the point. He was among the Meyer was one of the most influential later proponents of
ftrst to favor a stance in which the right ｦｯｾ is always fore- the German long sword, following the techniques first codi-
most and to describe an attack that can be considered a fted two centuries earlier byJohannes Liechtenauer. Meyer's
lunge in modern fencing terms. manual appeared in four editions between 1570 and 1660. It is
divided into five sections, the ftrst and longest dealing with
the art of the long sword. The others include instruction in
the Dussack (a saberlike wooden practice weapon indigenous
to Germany), rapier techniques based on the Italian school,
dagger ftghting, and the use of various staff weapons.

9
Luis Pacheco de Narvaez RIGHT
Spanish, active late 16th-early 17th century
Libro de las grandezas de la espada, en que se declaran Ridolfo Capo Ferro
muchos secretos del que compuso el Comendador Geronimo Italian (Cagli), born ca. 1558
deCarranfa Gran simulacro dell'arte e dell uso della scherma, di Ridolfo Capo Fero
(Book of the Greatness of the Sword, in Which Many of the Secrets da Caglie, maestro dell'eccelsa natione alemanna, nell' inclita citta
of the Methods Developed by Comendador Geronimo de Carranfa di Siena
Are Explained) (A Complete Representation of the Art and Practice of Fencing, by
Madrid, 1600 Ridolfo Capo Ferro of Caglie, Teacher of the Sublime German Nation,
in the Famous City of Siena)
Narvaez, along with his predecessor Geronimo de Siena, 1610
Carran<;a, was one of the founders of an enduring and dis-
tinctive school of rapier fencing, which was practiced in Capo Ferro's precise and rationally organized book repre-
Spain and its dominions from the late sixteenth century sents the apogee of the Italian rapier school. It largely
until the late eighteenth century: Notable features of the defined the form in which the school flourished across
Spanish style included a very upright stance and circular Europe for much of the seventeenth century, and from
footwork based on complex geometric principles. which smallsword techniques subsequently developed.
The text is attractively illustrated with engravings by
Raffaello Schiamirossi (ca. 1572-1622), and is divided into
thirteen chapters ranging from a general introduction to
clear explanations of timing, distance, posture, guards, and
attacks. Although Capo Ferro included the left-hand dag-
Salvator Fabris (Salvatore Fabrizzio?) ger, he emphasized the use of the rapier alone as the most
Italian (Padua), 1544-1617(?) effective means of both offense and defense.
De lo schermo overo scienza d' arme di Salvator Fabris capo dell'
Ordine dei Sette Corl
(About Fencing, or Rather, the Science of Arms, by Salvator Fabris,
Head of the Order of the Seven Hearts)
Copenhagen, 1606

Published with the patronage of Christian n1, king of

Denmark, this book was very important in promoting the
Italian style of rapier fencing in northern Europe, and was
reprinted as late as 1713. Avoiding the philosophical inter-
polations otherwise common to the genre, Fabris wrote a
detailed fencing manual with text and illustrations devoted
solely to practical swordsmanship. His methodology
included many refinements, several of which remained in
use into the nineteenth century wherever cut-and-thrust
fencing was practiced.

10
Nicoletta Giganti
Italian, active Venice ca. 1600
Newe Fechtkunst, oder Schawplatz/darauff allerhand Arten zuverset-
zen und zuschlagen mit dem Rapier allein/und mit Rapier und
Dolchen zusamen/vortestellet
(The New Art of Fencing, or The Theater in Which Is Shown Every
Type of Parry and Blow with Rapier Alone and with Rapier and
Dagger Together)
Frankfurt, 1622

Giganti was the forerunner of Salvator Fabris and Ridolfo the first fencing master to clearly explain the advantages
Capo Ferro in bringing Italian rapier fencing to its highest of the lunge and to apply it to most of his attack strate-
degree of refinement. Beginning in 1606 books by Giganti gies. His methods represent a transition in the Italian
were published in Italian, French, and German, including school between use of the rapier with a companion
bilingual editions like this German and French example, dagger and the preference for the rapier alone.
translated and published by Jacob de Zeter. Giganti was

II
Girard Thibault
Flemish (Antwerp), died ca. 1629
Academie de l'espee de Girard Thibault, d'Anvers, ou se demonstrent
par reegles mathematiques sur Ie fondement d'un cercle mystmeux, la
theorie et pratique des vrais et iusqu'li present incognus secrets du
maniement des armes Ii pied et a cheval
(The Academy of the Sword by Girard Thibault, of Antwerp, wherein
Are Set Forth by Mathematical Rules, on the Basis of a Mysterious
Circle, the True and until Now Unknown Secrets of the Use of
Weapons on Foot and on Horseback)
Leiden, 1628

Generally acknowledged as the most lavish and artistically book is devoted to the Spanish school of fence, as estab-
accomplished fencing book ever produced, Thibault's lished earlier by Geronimo de Carran\=a and Luis Pacheco
Academy of the Sword was supported by the patronage of de Narvaez. Thibault died shortly before its publication,
King Louis XIII of France and several other European never having completed the projected second part, which
rulers. Its elaborate illustrations, including forty-six double- was to have dealt with equestrian combat.
page plates, are signed by sixteen Flemish engravers. The

12
 ---=-- •
. ｾ

ｾｦｲ｢ tr batttt i'ttftr ｭｦｴｾ ""ofcf2 6fntfn ftoffett fo parirmIt btm Ｉ､Ｈｯｾ ｮｴ Ｂｾ ｾ｡ｮ ftfntr tfntftn ftftm
ｧｴｗｮｦｾ / l'nl) ｾｯｬｦ ｢ｮｦｯｲｾ｣ ｴｧ mft bcr Quarea ｾｴＨｂｕ mit ｭｾｪ mit 'Ioem ill trlu Dej rcdltm ｪｵｾ ｢ｬｾ ｲ｣ｮ ｦ
refun ｾｴｳｮｕｻｪ ｮｩ｣ ｦｾ ｾｮ fefon ｏＨｴｾ･ｲ ｬｦｵｲｾ i".

Sebastian Heussler
German (Nuremberg), active early to mid-17th century
Neu kunstlich Fechtbuch darinnen 500 Stuck im ainfachen Rapier, wie
auch ettliche im Rapier vnd Dolch, defl wetberiimbten Fecht: und
lehrmeisters Sig. Salvator Fabrida Padoa, so wol auch anderer
italianischen und franzosichen Fechter. ..
(New Artistic Fencing Book in Which There Are 500 Movements with
Rapier Alone, as well as Many with Rapier and Dagger; from the Well-
Known Fencing Master and Instmctor Signor Salvator Fabrida of
Padua, as well as Other Italian and French Fencers...)
Nuremberg, 1615 and 1645

The influence of Italian fencing masters in Germany is author's preface have been changed by hand from 1615 to
especially apparent in the works of the Nuremberg fencing 1645. It is bound with a 1615 edition of another book by
instructor Sebastian Heussler, who cites Salvator Fabris as Heussler, devoted solely to the use of rapier and dagger.
his inspiration for the two books bound together in this This is followed by twelve unnumbered plates showing
volume, and Capo Ferro for other editions. The first book dagger fighting and the use of rapier and cloak.
is unusual in that the dates on the title page and of the

13
ABOVE
Jeann Daniel L'Ange
Johann Georg Paschen French, active Germany, mid- to late mh century
German (Saxony), active mid- to late 17th century Drntliche und grundliche Erkliirung der adelichen und ritterlichen
Kurtze jedoch deutliche Beschreibung handlend yom Fechten auf Stosz freyen Fecht-Kunst. Leetionen auff den StojJ und deren Gebrauchs
undHieb eigentlicher Nachricht. Auff die rechte italianische Art und Manir. ..
(Brief but Clear Description Concerning Fencing With the Thrust and (Clear and Thorough Explanation of the Noble and Knightly Free Art
the Cut) of Fencing. Selections Concerning the Thrust and an Accurate
Halle, 1664 Description of Its Usage. In the CorrectItalian Style and Manner. ..)
Heidelberg, 1664
Paschen published at least five fencing books between 1657
and 1683. This edition is dedicated to Johann Georg II, L'Ange was the fencing master at Heidelberg University
prince-elector of Saxony (r. 1656-81), whom Paschen served and at the court of Karl I (1617-1680), prince-elector of the
as Pagen Hoffmeistern (master of the court pages) in Magede- Palatinate of the Rhine and duke of Bavaria. His book is
burg. The first part of the book demonstrates a modified an example of the late Italian school of rapier fencing,
form of rapier technique, shOWing the influence of proto- as it was practiced in Germany well into the eighteenth
smallsword fencing as it was then being developed in France. century. The frontispiece displays a portrait of L'Ange
The second part is devoted to the more martially oriented beneath a poetic couplet, which probably would have
method of fighting with the edge of the sword, rather expressed the sentiments of many fencing masters: "In
than the point. God lies my salvation / But my sword is my protection."

14
Francisco Antonio de Ettenhard Wernesson de Liancour
Spanish, active mid- to late 17th century French, died r732
Compendio de los fundamentos de la verdadera destreza y filosofia de Le maistre d'armes, ou L'exercice de l'espee seulle dans sa peifection
las armas, dedicado a la catolica, sacra, y real magestad del rey nuestro (The Master of Arms, or The Exercise of the Single Sword in
senor D. Carlos Segundo, monarca de Espana, y de las Indias Its Peifection)
(Compendium of the Fundamentals of the True Skills and Philosophy llonsterdann, r692
of Arms, Dedicated to the Catholic, Sacred, and Royal Majesty of the
King Our Lord Don Carlos the Second, Monarch of Spain, and the Indies) This edition of de Liancour's Le maistre d'armes is a
Madrid, r675 slightly simplified reduction of the original version, pub-
lished in 1686. These books were among the most influen-
Ettenhard's work shows the continuity of the Spanish tial in establishing and spreading the new French style of
school, which remained faithful to the complex geometric fencing in Europe and England well into the eighteenth
principles laid down by Luis Pacheco de Narvaez and century. Using a smaller, lighter thrusting sword than the
embellished by Gerard Thibault. rapier common in Italy and Germany; French smallsword
techniques as refined by de Liancour emphasized speed,
finesse, and economy of motion. De Liancour is also cred-
ited with developing the lunge into its fully modern form.
Jean Baptiste Le Perche du Coudray
French, active mid- to late r7th century
L'exercise des armes, ou Maniment duJleuret, pour ayder la memoire
de ceux qui sont amateurs de cet art Bondi di Mazo
(The Exercise of Arms, or Handling the Foil, as an Aid to the Memory Italian (Venice), active late 17th century
of Those Who Are Amateurs of This Art) La spada maestra di me, Bondi di Mazo da Venetia: Libro dove si trat-
Paris, n.d. (1750) tano i vantaggi della nobilissima proftssione della scherma si del cam-
inare, girare, & ritirarsi, come del ferire sicuramente, e difendersi
This is a slightly amended reprint of a book originally pub- (The Masterly Sword, by Me Bondi di Mazo from Venice: A Book
lished in 1676, when the French style of smallsword fenc- wherein Are Treated the Benefits of the Most Noble Profession of
ing was beginning to flourish. It is one of the first books to Fencing, in the Advancing, Turning, and Retreating, as well as How
focus on the use of the foil, as opposed to the sword, as a to Strike with Certainty, and Defend Oneself)
graceful pastime and a refined form of gentlemanly exer- Venice, r696
cise. Le Perche was a member of the prestigious Academie
d'Armes, the guildlike association of fencing masters
founded with royal patronage in Paris about 1570. He is
credited with formulating the use of the riposte, a tech- Henry Blackwell
nique fundamental to modern fencing. English, active late 17th to mid-r8th century
The English Fencing-Master: or, The Compleat Tuterour of the Small
Sword. Wherein the Truest Method, after a Mathematical Rule, Is
Plainly Laid Down. Shewing also How Necessary It Is for All Gentlemen
to Learn This Noble Art. In a Dialogue between Master and Scholar
London, r702

This appears to be the earliest edition of Blackwell's book,

which was republished in two editions in 1702 and 1705
with additional illustrations, and in a revised edition in 1730
retitled The Gentleman's Tutorfor the Small-Sword. As a pro-
fessional Master of Defense Blackwell approached
smallsword fencing as a means of lethal combat and not
merely as a gentlemanly exercise. His later book is largely
based on the practices of Italian rapier masters of the early
seventeenth century; perhaps in response to what he saw
as the increased rarefaction of smallsword fencing.

IS
 -.....::::::==================================='=
-
Francisco Lorenz de Rada Rada's three volumes represent the most detailed treat-
Spanish, active late 17th to early 18th century ment of swordmanship and the Spanish school of fence
Nobleza de la espada, cvyo esplendor se expressa en tres libros, segvn published in Spanish. Complex mathematical principles
ciencia, arte, y esperiencia. Libro primero, de la ciencia del instrvmento defIning distance, footwork, lines of attack, and positions
armigero espada. Libro segundo, arte del instrumento armigero espada. of defense are laid out in a series of ornate diagrams.
Libro tercero, experiencia del'instmmento armigero Despite the apparent artifIciality of this system, the fight-
(The Nobility of the Sword, Whose Splendor Is Expressed in Three ing abilities of Spanish swordsmen were highly regarded
Books, According to Science, Art, and Experience. Book One, concern- throughout Europe. As late as the end of the eighteenth
ing the Science of the Warlike Sword. Book Two, the Art of the War- century the works of the leading smallsword masters such
like Sword. Book Three, the Experience of the Warlike Sword) as Guillaume Danet and Domenico Angelo included spe-
Madrid, 1705 cial techniques for duels with Spaniards.

r6
Johann Andreas Schmidt Sir William Hope
German, Zeblitz (Saxony), active 18th century Scottish, 1660-1729
Leib-beschirmende und feinden trotz-bietende Fecht-kunst; oder: Leicht Hope's New Method of Fencing: or, The True and Solid Art of Fighting
und getreue Answeisung auf Stofl und Hieb zierlich und sicher zu with the Back-Sword, Sheering-Sword, Small-Sword, and Sword and
ftchten; nebst einem curieusen Unterricht vom Voltigiren und Ringen. Pistol; Freed from the Errors of the Schools
(The Lifesaving and Foe-DefYing Art of Fencing; or: Easy and Trust- Edinburgh, 1714
worthy Instructions on How to Fence with Thrust-and-Cut Gracifully
and Confidently; together with Some Highly Interesting Lessons Hope was recognized by his contemporaries as the great-
Concerning the Vaulting Horse and Wrestling) est British authority on swordsmanship. He published
Ｌｧｲ･｢ｭ ｲｵｾ 1713 eight influential books on the subject, in various editions,
between 1687 and 1729. In this book he significantly modi-
This book is the earliest of several works by Schmidt that fied his previous views to advocate a position known as the
were published between 1713 and 1816, the later editions hanging guard, proclaiming it to be the optimal offensive
appearing posthumously. Schmidt held the prestigious and defensive guard for any type of sword. In 1692 Sir
post of Fencing and Drill Master to the city of Nuremberg. William founded the Society of Swordsmen in Scotland,
He taught practical methods of fencing with the point, in hopes of bringing to British fencing masters the pres-
with the edge, and combining the two. Schmidt's chapter tige and credibility enjoyed by their counterparts on the
on the vaulting horse, once a necessary cavalry exercise, is Continent. Despite his efforts, however, the Society was
a precursor to the pommel horse of modern gymnastics. never granted a royal charter, remaining merely an associ-
His later books cover the use of the saber, an essential cav- ation of interested amateurs.
alry weapon in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

17
 i3
parade md
ｯ｡ｷｾ､･ＬＮ ＧＨＩ｣ＬＮ
tnfjl

j
:2

IttX.

Anthon Friedrich Kahn German universities were major centers of fencing

German, active early to mid-18th century instruction from as early as the seventeenth century.
Anfangsgriinde der Fechtkunst nebst einer Vorrede von dem Nutzen der Anthon Friedrich Kahn, a celebrated fencing master at
Fechtkunst un den Vorzugen dieser Anweisung G6ttingen University, was himself a pupil of Heinrich
(Elements of the Art of Fencing together with a Prologue Regarding the Wilhelm Kreussler at Jena University. Kreussler was a
Benefits of the Art of Fencing and the Merits of These Instructions) member of one of Germany's most renowned family
Gottingen, 1739 dynasties of fencing masters, which flourished for nearly
two hundred years. Kahn, like Kreussler, taught the use of
cut-and-thrust fencing, as well as a method intended for
dueling that emphasized the use of the point, but was dis-
tinct from the Italian and French schools of late rapier and
smallsword techniques.

18
 ...!"/ ｾ It IN",,,t ,t1"'0/11 .lIIr t OfUJI ,t..,n"'Hlk. l'IUot:JJ.
ｎＴｯＧＮｾ .....,.J,'Y •• "'1""l:.I't1w_JJ" "..,.

ABOVE

Domenico Angelo (Domenico Angelo Guillaume Danet

Malevolti Tremamondo) French, active mid- to late r8th century
Italiaa(LivornO),1717-1802 L' art des armes, ou La maniere la plus certain de se servir utilement de
L' ecole des armes, avec l'explication gbtbale des principales attitudes l'epee, soit pour attaquer, soit pour se defendre, simplifiee &' demonstree
et positions concernant L'escrime dans toute son etendue &' sa peifection, suivant les meilleurs principes
(The School of Fencing, with a General Explanation of the Principal de theorie &' de pratique adoptes actuellement en France
Attitudes and Positions Peculiar to the Art) (The Art of Arms, or The Most Reliable Method to Profitably Use the
London, 1765 Sword, Eitherfor Attack or Defense, Simplified and Demonstrated in
All Its Peifection According to the Best Principles of Theory and
Angelo is the most well known of all historic fencing mas- Practice Currently Adopted in France)
ters due to the fame he achieved among his contempo- Paris, 1766
raries, the existence of a detailed biography written by his
son, and to the critical and artistic success of his book, The Partly in response to the success of Angelo's School of
School of Fencing. The book was so well regarded that it Fencing, Danet wrote his L'art des armes to assert France's
was selected by Diderot as the best of its genre and used to claim to supremacy in use of the smallsword. It was also
illustrate the entry on fencing (escrime) in his famous his attempt to codifY and simplifY the terminology and
Encyclopedie. It remains the defInitive exposition of pedagogy of the French school of fence. Although he was
smallsword techniques in their most fully developed form. the head of the prestigious Academie des Armes, Daner's
suggested reforms were openly attacked by his fellow aca-
demicians, forcing him to defend his theories in a second
volume, published in 1767.

19
Guillaume Danet Mr. Angelo (Domenico Angelo Malevolti
French, active mid- to late 18th century Tremamondo)
L'art des armes, ou La maniere la plus certain de se servir utilement de Italian (Livorno), 1717-1802
l'epee, soit pour attaquer, soit pour se defendre, simplifUe &' demon- The School of Fencing, with a General Explanation of the Principal
stree dans toute son etendue &' sa peifection, suivant les meilleurs Attitudes and Positions Peculiar to the Art
principes de theorie &' de pratique adoptes actuellement en France ... London, 1787
Tome second, contenant la refutation des critiques, &' la suite du
meme traite This is a later edition of the original School of Fencing in a
(The Art of Arms, or The Most Reliable Method to Profitably Use the smaller, pocket-sized format.
Sword, Eitherfor Attack or Defense, Simplified and Demonstrated in
All Its Pe1ftction According to the Best Principles of Theory and
Practice Currently Adopted in France ... Volume Two, Containing the
Rebuttal of the Criticisms, and the Continuation of the Same Treatise)
Paris, 1767

20
swords) Rapiers) Parrying Daggers) and Related Objects

Sword
Western European (possibly Italian), ca. 1450
Steel, copper, wood, and leather; weight: 2lbs. 8 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.1096

Known as arming swords, weapons of this type were worn

by noblemen on a daily basis during times of peace and
were also used by armored knights in battle. The blade
bears the "running-wolf" mark of Passau, Germany,
which was famous for the quality of its sword blades.

Dagger (Ballock Knife)

Possibly French or German, late 15th century
Steel and wood; weight: 8 oz.
Gift ofJean Jacques Reubell, in memory of his mother, Julia C.
Coster, and of his wife, Adeline E. Post, both of New York City,
1926 26.145.10

The ballock knife, also referred to as a kidney dagger, was

widely used in the later Middle Ages, in both civilian and
military contexts. In Talhoffer's Fechtbuch it is shown in use
by armored combatants to deliver a coup de grace, and in
the section devoted to unarmored knife fighting.
ABOVE

Helm for Combat on Foot

English or Flemish, late 15th century
Steel; weight: 12 lbs. 12 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.591

In the nineteenth century this helmet was recorded as

coming from St. Mary's Church, Aylesbury, Buckingham-
shire, where it presumably once hung above the tomb of
its original owner.

21
 Hand and a Half Sword
German, ca. 1500
Steel and leather; weight: 4 lbs.
Purchase, The Sulzberger Foundation, Inc., and Helmut Nickel
Gifts, Rogers Fund, Bequest of Stephen V Grancsay, by
exchange, and Funds from various donors, 1988 1988.26

The blade is incised with the mark of the Ottoman arsenal

in Istanbul, indicating that this sword was captured as war
booty from a European knight. It is one of the few swords
to survive from the early sixteenth century with its origi-
nal hilt and blade intact.

detail

22
Sword This early sword is one of the few to retain fragments of
Italian or Spanish, ca. IS00 its original grip bindings, here consisting of red and green
Steel, gilt bronze, wood, and textile; silk. The stiff, acutely pointed blade is designed to pierce
weight: 21bs. IS oz. the gaps between the plates of an opponent's armor.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.2S.n6S

23
Dagger Dueling Gauntlet (Manopala da Presa)
German or Italian, ca. 15°0-1525 Italian, ca. 1550-75
Steel, silver, wood, and fish skin; weight: 1 lb. Steel and leather; weight: I lbs. 9 oz.
Gift of Jean Jacques Reubell, in memory of his mother, Julia C. Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 I4.25.9II
Coster, and of his wife, Adeline E. Post, both of New York City,
1926 26.145.69 In the sixteenth century it was often considered better to
parry (blocking an opponent's blade) with the left hand
This sturdy dagger is the type seen in early Italian fencing rather than tie up one's own rapier in deflecting a blow: A
books like those of Achille Marozzo. It predates the gauntlet, usually of leather but sometimes of steel, was
improvements that characterize later parrying daggers, worn to protect the left hand. The palm of this gauntlet is
such as long, often curved quillons and a side ring to pro- lined with mail, which would allow the duelist to grasp his
tect the back of the hand. opponent's blade without being cut.

Sword
North Italian or French, ca. 1540-60
Steel and wood; weight: 2 lbs. 6 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.II55

BELOW

Parrying Dagger (Pugnale Bolognese)

Italian, ca. 1550-75 Designed to be used in tandem with a rapier, this dagger is
Partly gilt steel, brass, and wood; weight: 15 oz. fitted with a side ring, recurved quillons, and a depression
Gift ofJean Jacques Reubell, in memory of his mother, Julia C. at the base of one side of the blade to accommodate the
Coster, and of his wife, Adeline E. Post, both of New York City, thumb and facilitate a firmer grip. The waves in the blade
1926 26.145.94 may be intended to act like "speed bumps" in breaking the
impact of a blow from an opponent's blade.

24
RIGHT

Parrying Gauntlet (Guanto cia Presa)

Italian, late I6th-early I7th century
Leather and iron; weight: 8 oz.
Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Funds from various
donors, I929 29.I58.2I8

Beneath its leather exterior this parrying gauntlet is lined

with a protective layer of mail.

Buckler (Rotellino cia Pugno alla Milanese)

Italian, ca. I570
Steel and copper; weight: 2lbs. 6 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, I9I3 I4.25.742

Bucklers are small shields that were carried on the belt or

scabbard. They were a popular form of defense from at
least as early as the thirteenth century until the late six-
teenth or early seventeenth century.

LEFT

Buckler (Targhetta cia Pugno)

Italian, ca. I550-75
Blued and gilt steel; weight: 2lbs. I5 oz.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Ronald S. Lauder, I983
I983.I36

The hook in the center of the buckler

was designed so it could hang from the
sword belt, ready for use. The raised con-
centric bars were intended to trap, and
possibly break, an opponent's blade.

25
RIGHT

Rapier
European, ca. 1565-75
Steel and wood; weight: 3 lbs. 2 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.II90

This is a classic form of late-sixteenth-century

rapier, sometimes referred to as a "swept hilt"
because of the spiraling design of the bars that
surround the grip.

LEFT

Parrying Dagger (Pugnale Bolognese)

Italian, ca. 1570
Steel, wood, and leather; weight: I lb. 5 oz.
Bequest ofJean Jacques Reuben, in memory of his mother, Julia C. Coster,
of New York, 1933 34.57.21

This large parrying dagger is well suited for use against the cutting
blows of a sword and the thrusts of a rapier. Its large side ring and
outward curved quillons provide the back of the hand and the wrist
with ample protection from an opponent's attacks.

26
Rapier
Italian, ca. 1570-75
Steel, traces of gilding, iron, and wood; weight: 2lbs. 8 oz.
Rogers Fund, 1904 04.3.287

Rapier
Hilt: probably German; blade: Italian, 1575-1600
Steel, "W'ood, and leather; weight: 3 lbs. 6 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.1035

The blade of this rapier is a prime example of the most

developed form of the sixteenth-century cut-and-thrust
rapier. It is extremely long (49% in.) and acutely pointed
to maximize its effectiveness in thrusting, and it also has a
sharp double edge, well suited for cutting.

RIGHT

Pair of Practice Swords

German, ca. 1575-1625
Steel, wood, leather, and brass;
weight: 2lbs. 14 oz., 2lbs. 13 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.IIIO and .IIII

Purposely made with dull edges and blunt tips, these prac-
tice swords are descendants of knightly war swords, which
were made to be wielded with either one hand or two.
Known simply as the long sword, this type was a specialty
of the German school, which continued to practice its use
long after it had been abandoned elsewhere.

27
28
OPPOSITE BELOW

Rapier and Parrying Dagger Transitional Rapier

German, ca. 1580; rapier blade, Spanish (Toledo) Hilt: possibly French or Spanish; blade: Spanish (Toledo), ca. 1625-50
Partly gilt steel, and wood; Steel and wood; weight: I lb. 8 oz.
weight: 3lbs. 4 oz. (rapier), II oz. (dagger) Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.1084
Bashford Dean Memorial Collection
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. de Forest, 1929 29.157.13, .14 The dishlike guard, short quillons and light blade are all
characteristic of the early stages of the development from
Rapiers and parrying daggers were frequently made as sets rapier to smallsword.
and decorated to match. The blunt tip and dulled edges of
this rapier blade indicate that it was originally made for a
practice weapon. It is signed by Juan Martinez of Toledo, a
royal bladesmith to King Philip II of Spain.

Rapier Carrier and Belt

German (probably Saxony), ca. 1600
Leather, silk, velvet, and metallic thread; engraved and gilt steel
Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Funds from various
donors, 1929 29.158. 729

From the mid-sixteenth to the mid-seventeenth century

the rapier was usually worn at the left side, its sheath
thrust through a sling-like carrier suspended from a waist
belt. A diagonal strap reached from the carrier across the
front of the belt to hold the rapier at a convenient angle.
Some sword belts were embroidered with designs that
matched those of the wearer's clothing and perhaps even
the decoration of his rapier hilt. This example, richly
embroidered in stumpwork (raised designs) with silver and
gold-wrapped threads, is from the armory of the dukes of
Saxony; in Dresden.

Parrying Dagger and Sheath

Attributed to Daniel Sadeler
German, active Munich, 1610-32
Steel, gilt steel, leather, and wood;
weight: 14 oz.
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.1314

Daniel Sadeler was a renowned specialist in the chiseled

and gilt decoration of iron and steel. He worked at the
court of the dukes of Bavaria, succeeding his equally
famous elder brother Emanuel in r6ro. Working in Munich
from the r590S to the r630s the Sadelers produced some of
the most fmely decorated firearms and edged weapons
ever created.

29
Rapier
Hilt: probably English; blade: German (Solingen), ca. I630-40
Steel and wood; weight: 2lbs.
Rogers Fund, I904 04.3.I

30
Rapier The skillfully chiseled iron hilt is decorated with a series of
Hilt: probably Dutch, ca. 1650; blade: German (Munich) grotesque faces that look the same whether seen right side
Iron and steel; grip of wood and copper (modern); up or upside down. The simplified construction of the
weight: I lb. 10 oz. hilt-with a knuckle guard, single side ring, and only one
Purchase, Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Funds from vari- quillon-reflects the need for lighter, smaller rapiers,
ous donors, by exchange, 1995 1995.51 which came into fashion in the mid-seventeenth century.

31
Cup-Hilted Rapier Scarf Sword
Italian (Brescia), ca. 1650-60 Possibly French or Dutch, ca. 1650-75
Steel and wood; weight: 2lbs. 2 oz. Steel, gold, and wood; weight: I lb. 4 oz.
Rogers Fund, 1904 04.3.2 The Collection of Giovanni P. Morosini, Presented by his
daughter Giulia, 1932 32.75.221
The cup hilt was developed in Italy or Spain about 1625 and
was the predominant form of rapier used in Spain and in The scarf sword, a decorative weapon falling between the
Spanish territories until the late eighteenth century. rapier and the smallsword, derives its name from the fash-
ion of wearing it thrust through a scarf or sash, rather
than hung from the more usual sword belt.

Parrying Dagger
Italian, ca. 1650
Steel and wood; weight: I lb. 8 oz. Smallsword
Rogers Fund, 1904 04.3.17 Dutch (1), ca. 1660
Steel and wood; weight: I lb. 3 oz.
This type of dagger, sometimes referred to as a main Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Funds from various
gauche, was used in conjunction with a cup-hilted rapier. donors, 1929 29.158.713

The hilt is chiseled in high relief with crowded ranks of

fighting horsemen. This weapon is part of a large group of
Carrier for a Cup-Hilted Rapier similarly decorated smallswords of unknown origin that
North Italian, or Spanish, ca. 1650 were made possibly in Holland or France.
Engraved steel
Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913 14.25.1242

This type of carrier was designed specifically for a cup-hilted Dueling Rapier
rapier. It was clipped to the top of the rapier scabbard by a Italian (Brescia), 1680-1700
split prong. A semicircular bar above the prong adjusts to Steel and wood; weight: I lb. 12 oz.
hold the rapier at a set angle. There is also an adjustable Rogers Fund, 1904 04.3.41
swivel beneath the buckle, which was passed through a
waist belt. The date and the unusual length of the blade (49% in.),
which is designed only for thrusting, suggest that this
rapier was intended specifically for use in duels or in exhi-
bition bouts.

32
BELOW Bag for a Smallsword Hilt
French (Paris), ca. 1725-50
Smallsword Leather and ink
English (London), hallmarked for 1747-48 Rogers Fund, 1995 1995.52
Silver, steel, and wood; weight: 15 oz.
Gift of Eric Vaule in memory of his mother, Rae D. Vaule, 1991 A fmely made smallsword was sometimes supplied with a
I99I.II5 fItted storage bag to protect the hilt. This bag is printed
with the trade card of the Parisian fourbisseur (cutler)
The smallsword could be both a deadly weapon and a styl- Guillaume Pages (recorded 1709-57). It includes his shop
ish costume accessory for a fashionable gentleman. The sign, Au Dauphin Royal (At the Royal Dolphin), and the
silver hilt of this smallsword is decorated with an imagina- advertisement that he "makes and sells all kinds of beauti-
tive array of Rococo masks and shells. It is a fIne example ful swords in the most current styles."
of the application of contemporary decorative styles to
the design of sword hilts.

BELOW

Smallsword
Marked GS (Possibly George Shaw)
English (London), hallmarked for 1689-90; blade dated 1674
Steel and silver; weight: I lb. 5 oz.
Gift ofJeanJacques Reubell, in memory of his mother, Julia C.
Coster, and of his wife, Adeline E. Post, both of New York City,
1926 26.145·346

This hilt displays, in an early form, the basic features that

continued to characterize English and American
smallswords throughout the eighteenth century.

33
Smallsword
MarkedLR.
English (London), hallmarked for 1770-71
Silver, partly gilt, and steel; weight: 14 oz.
Rogers Ftmd, by exchange, 1995 1995.90

34
 LEFT

Smallsword with Scabbard

Master GG (active Paris, ca. 1744)
French (Paris), hallmarked for 1773-74
Gold, steel, wood, and fish skin;
weight: I lb. 13 oz.
Purchase, Gift of William H. Riggs, by exchange and Annie
Laurie Aitken Trust Gift, 1998 1998.35ab

This is one of the fInest Neoclassical French smallswords

of the eighteenth century. The hilt is cast entirely of yel-
low and green gold and ranks with the highest quality
Parisian goldsmiths' work of the period. It is modeled with
figures of the classical deities Mars, Minerva, Jupiter, and
Hercules, and the personifications of Justice and
Prudence. This smallsword represents the fmal and most
refmed stage in the development of civilian swords,
shortly before they ceased to be worn in western Europe.

Smallsword with Scabbard

French, ca. 178Q-90
Partly gilt steel, silver, wood, and leather;
weight: I lb. 10 oz.
Gift of Jean Jacques Reubell, in memory of his mother, Julia C.
Coster, and of his wife, Adeline E. Post, both of New York City,
1926 26.145.290ab

The steel hilt is chiseled in low relief with military figures

in contemporary and antique costume set against a stip-
pled and gilt background. This decorative theme is found
on sword hilts from the seventeenth through the end of
the eighteenth century.

35
Smallsword
English, ca. 1790-1800
Steel; weight: 14 oz.
Rogers Fund, 1916 16.164

Faceted cut-steel hilts were fashionable in England during

the last quarter of the eighteenth century and are still
worn on ceremonial occasions at court in Great Britain.
This fmely made hilt exemplifies the style at its most com-
plex and refmed.