Book Description
The standard reference on historical swordsmanship since its 1885 publication, this volume is still widely considered the definitive work on fencing history and the art of European swordsmanship. The author traces fencing from its roots in the unschooled brawling of the Middle Ages to its latter-day precision and refinement; he focuses particularly on the 16th-century development of the rapier and the weapon's popularity in Renaissance Italy, where Italian masters founded the modern art of swordsmanship. Abundantly illustrated, this legendary work, long out-of-print, will be of great interest to scholars as well as fencing and sword enthusiasts. Unabridged republication of the classic 1885 edition. 150 black-and-white illus.
Schools and Masters of Fencing: From the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century FROM THE PUBLISHER
The standard reference on historical swordsmanship since its 1885 publication, this volume is still widely considered the definitive work on fencing history and the art of European swordsmanship. The author traces fencing from its roots in the unschooled brawling of the Middle Ages to its latter-day precision and refinement; he focuses particularly on the sixteenth-century development of the rapier and the weapon's popularity in Renaissance Italy, where Italian masters founded the modern art of swordsmanship. Abundantly illustrated, this legendary work, long out-of-print, will be of great interest to scholars as well as fencing and sword enthusiasts.
SYNOPSIS
Originally printed in 1885, this historical reference is considered by many to be the definitive work on fencing history and the art of European swordsmanship. Castle traces the refinement of fencing—from unschooled brawling in the Middle Ages, to its latter-day precision and discipline—focusing on the sixteenth-century use of the rapier and the weapon's popularity in Renaissance Italy. Castle finds the history of humanity reflected in the sword's history as he draws connections between modes of fencing and the political and social mood of the times. The book contains more than 140 black and white illustrations. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Art & Photography
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