Brilliant Minds Neded: a Multi Barrel Illustration of 1511

[Matchlock]

Hi there,

Many thanks to all of you for your esteemed contributions which have added various new impulses to my understanding!

As to the historical person of Flavius Vegetius Renatus: He was a Roman military theoretic, who lived around 400 a.D.

Like all ancient Roman and Greek cultural motifs, the Italian and German Renaissance (nomen est omen!) of the 16th century took up the ancient military devices again, copied and modified them to meet contemporary technical standards and needs. Thus, the anonymous author of these Renaissance technical and military books assumed the name of the ancient Roman author, indicating at the same time his will to continue and update the work of his predecessor.

As early as 1466, another early Renaissance author named Roberto Valturio published modernized copies of the original Roman author's works illustrated by colored contemporary woodcuts. I attach a few of them and you will see that Valturio and F.V. Renatus were kindred minds.

What was actually new to the Renaissance re-born works was their profuse illustration with woodcuts made by contemporary artisans. As has been observed in replies to this post, the author of a Gothic or Renaissance book was never identical with the illustrator(s).

Thanks again, all of you are brilliant and discussions like this are an important enrichment to our forum!

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

A few more.

Looking at these woodcuts there is no doubt about the fact that all these authors and illustrators copied from each other and especially from earlier works!

Copyright had not been invented.

Michael

[fearn]

Hi Michael,

The ones you just showed look much more familiar. Now I know where the modern reconstructionists are using to make those trebuchets and siege equipment. They need to make one of those assault dragons, though.

As an aside, people are still reprinting Roman works with new pictures. As a child, I was given one that had some of Pliny's Naturalis historia (in latin) with fanciful pictures attached. They'd picked Pliny's more colorful mistakes to illustrate, of course. Even under modern law, the old texts are in the public domain, so someone could take Flavius Vegetius Renatus and illustrate it as they liked.

Project for someone here, perhaps, without herbal inspiration?

F

[fernando]

Originally Posted by fearn

... Project for someone here, perhaps, without herbal inspiration? ...

Not an exciting task, though.
Things would be much too dull .
This is what happens when they ran out of such resource ... even the overimaginative author of Vier Bücher der Rytterschafft; cannons do look ... like cannons .
Fernando

.

[Matchlock]

Hi, Fearn and Fernando,

I do like your ideas, pals!

BTW, the following are from: Anonymous: Ingenieurskunst- und Wunderbuch (Book of Engineering and Wonders), Weimar, Germany, 1522.

Meet well known earlier illustrative motifs, just slightly altered.

Best,
Michael

[cornelistromp]

HI Michael,

yes, this multi barrel Illustration can be fired, all the barrels with the ignition
of one barrel.(your first picture)
I have a publication of a 12 barrel gun out of the Visser collection with this same principle. Iam in the Monaco at the moment but will place the publication in this thread coming weekend.

Best regards

[Matchlock]

Hi Cornelis,

I am looking forward to seeing your post! Return quickly!

Best,
Michael

[cornelistromp]

Hi Michael,

I think the multi barrel Illustration can be fired, there are 2 different possibilities.

1.Model with separate external vents.
After 3 barrels have been fired, you turn the raster 45 grad and shoot the next 3 cannonballs at the target turn the raster again 45 grad and so on.
same principle as the visser cannon auction at Bonham's Nov 2007.
2.Model where the barrels have internal vents.
All the barrels are fired by a single ignition at the central knot where all the barrels come together. Principle as five barreled flintlock pistol
in the Visser collection. However must say that I don't know where the gunman has to stand without being shot by himself when firing the raster.

best regards

[Matchlock]

Hi Cornelis,

Thank you so much for this contribution.

The ingnition system based on the internal vents/touchholes reminds me instantly of the superimposed load principle dealt with at large by Colonel D.R. Baxter: Superimposed Load Firearms 1360-1860, Hong Kong, 1966, which has doubtlessly remained the final word on the subject.

Best,
Michael

[Matchlock]

A 'high tech' adjustable bronze cannon carriage from an early 16th century manuscript.

Michael