These pen and ink studies show two gentleman fencers in various fighting positions. These have been hand drawn on early laid paper and are accompanied by a general explanation of their taken position, written below the image. An example of one of these phrases; ‘De la parade de quarte au de hors des armes sur le coup de quarte horse des armes’.

These would be appropriate for display in pairs, or as a set.

This series of drawings is after those by James Gwin in 1763, created for the renowned fencing manual l’Ecole des Armes (‘The School of Arms’). This manual was published for Domenico Angelo, a man who arrived in London from Italy, via Paris, who taught Equitation and Fencing. It contained forty-seven original drawings intended to help demonstrate to Angelo’s students each defensive and offensive fencing position. Angelo became the leading fencing master in London with numerous pupils among the nobility, including George III’s sons the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York.

Fencing remained a popular pastime into the 19th and 20th centuries, although changes were made to the clothing and equipment used, such as the introduction of masks and protective knee breeches.