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Book/Printed Material Fencing Book. Fechtbuch

About this Item

Title

  • Fencing Book.

Other Title

  • Fechtbuch

Summary

  • This early-16th-century book about fencing consists almost entirely of illustrations, with a minimal amount of text appearing as captions. It consists of 258 drawings on 130 pages, most of which show a pair of fighters using the different cut and thrust weapons that were common at that time: the long sword, the short sword, and the dagger. The work is anonymous, but it owes much to the written and pictorial work of Hans Talhoffer (circa 1420--circa 1490), a fencing instructor, famous sword fighter, and author of several Fechtbücher (fencing books). By displaying fighters in an arena, as seen in folio 6v (image 16), the book also shows fencing as a form of ordeal by battle, an armed duel between two combatants used as a final means to settle a dispute. Stylistically, the pictures closely resemble those of a fencing book of 1512 from the school of the great German artist, Albrecht Dürer (1471--1528).

Created / Published

  • Nuremberg : [publisher not identified], [1500 to 1550]

Headings

  • -  Germany
  • -  1500 to 1550
  • -  Fencing

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  Original resource extent: 65 folios.
  • -  Original resource at: Berlin State Library - Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation.
  • -  Content in German.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021667738

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Fencing Book. [Nuremberg: Publisher Not Identified, to 1550, 1500] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667738/.

APA citation style:

(1500) Fencing Book. [Nuremberg: Publisher Not Identified, to 1550] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021667738/.

MLA citation style:

Fencing Book. [Nuremberg: Publisher Not Identified, to 1550, 1500] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021667738/>.