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The Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection Explore one of the most significant collections of European fine and decorative arts in the world by visiting our website today.

The Wallace Collection is a national museum in an historic London town house. In 25 galleries are unsurpassed displays of French 18th-century painting, furniture and porcelain with superb Old Master paintings and a world class armoury.

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Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck, the leading court painter during the reign of King Charles I, died  in 1641.One of the...
09/12/2022

Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck, the leading court painter during the reign of King Charles I, died in 1641.

One of the most arresting paintings on display in our Great Gallery is his original reinterpretation of a mythological tale, The Judgement of Paris. In the myth, the young shepherd Paris was asked to name which of the three goddesses, Juno, Minerva and Venus, he found the most beautiful. By choosing Venus, Paris’s decision precipitated the Trojan War.

Instead of depicting the three goddesses, van Dyck chose to solely portray Paris and focus on the fateful nature of his decision. This three-quarter length figure is reminiscent of Titian and other 17th-century artists. It is therefore believed that van Dyck painted this work following his return from Italy in the late 1620s.

Season’s Greetings from the Wallace Collection ✍️ Explore our stunning range of greeting cards featuring our incredible ...
05/12/2022

Season’s Greetings from the Wallace Collection ✍️

Explore our stunning range of greeting cards featuring our incredible gold boxes and Dutch paintings. Looking for something personalised? Send your loved ones a card with their favourite work from the Wallace Collection.

Visit our shop now: bit.ly/3AJG24N

🖼️ Gerard ter Borch, A Lady Reading a Letter, around 1665

Looking to kick-start the new year with something new? Immerse yourself in the homes of the Venetian and Parisian elites...
04/12/2022

Looking to kick-start the new year with something new? Immerse yourself in the homes of the Venetian and Parisian elites and discover the lavish furniture, porcelain and rare objects that adorned these breathtaking interiors.

On this January weekend online course, you’ll learn about the role luxury items played in their original settings spanning three centuries, and consider how they were used to convey the social rank of their owners.

Find out more about the course and sign up today: bit.ly/3GFucwf

This armour, which was assembled during the 19th century, is a prime example of the splendour and elegance of the German...
03/12/2022

This armour, which was assembled during the 19th century, is a prime example of the splendour and elegance of the German ‘gothic’ style, demonstrated by its fluted surfaces and cusped borders.

This armour for war, or some parts of it, is recorded as having come from the Castle of Hohenaschau in Bavaria, the dynastic home of the von Freyberg family. Plate armour from the 15th century such as this is extremely rare. While the armour for man is heavily composite, the horse armour is relatively homogenous and in remarkably good condition.

Admire this incredible armour in the gallery trail accompanying our free display The Lost King: Imagining Richard III, on view at the Wallace Collection until 8 January 2023.

Cosy season is officially open 🍵🌨️The Lace Maker by Dutch artist Caspar Netscher is one of the most popular works in our...
01/12/2022

Cosy season is officially open 🍵🌨️

The Lace Maker by Dutch artist Caspar Netscher is one of the most popular works in our Collection. A poignant depiction of idealised female virtue, it depicts a woman dressed in a simple woollen dress absorbed in her lacemaking.

Such elements conveyed what was deemed to be the appropriate behaviour of a housewife at the time. Her humble garments imply her lack of vanity whilst her absorption in the intricate task of lace-making underlines her seriousness and moral virtue. This is reinforced by the discarded shoes in the foreground, which suggest that she is willing to stay indoors.

Stylistically, this painting reveals Netscher’s sensitivity to the experiments of the Delft School and the light-filled works of Pieter de H***h and Johannes Vermeer.

WFH office chair of dreams 💙This sumptuous chair is believed to have been made for Marie-Thérèse de Savoie, comtesse d'A...
28/11/2022

WFH office chair of dreams 💙

This sumptuous chair is believed to have been made for Marie-Thérèse de Savoie, comtesse d'Artois, who was married to Louis XVI’s younger brother, Charles-Philippe, comte d’Artois.

The lilies carved on the back of the chair suggest that it was made for royalty, as the flowers symbolised the French Bourbon dynasty. The back is carved with numerous motifs, such as a basket overflowing with flowers. There are also musical instruments, including Pan pipes, all of which suggest the Arcadia of Greek mythology – the garden paradise of the gods, which was particularly popular in neo-classical art and which would have been suitable for a newly-wed princess.

Bring the Wallace Collection home this Christmas ❄️🎄It’s ! From homeware to jewellery and tasty treats, our shop has som...
27/11/2022

Bring the Wallace Collection home this Christmas ❄️🎄

It’s ! From homeware to jewellery and tasty treats, our shop has something for everyone.

Shopping online or in-store is a great way to support us. Every purchase helps us preserve the Collection for future generations to enjoy.

Explore our Christmas collection now: bit.ly/3AJG24N

Hands delicately resting on top of each other…Can you guess which painting these hands belong to? Take a close look at t...
26/11/2022

Hands delicately resting on top of each other…

Can you guess which painting these hands belong to? Take a close look at the brocaded sleeves 🔍

If you know the answer, tell us in the comments or click the link to find out: bit.ly/3VkxTM4

Best believe we’re still ✨bejewelled ✨This beautiful gold box depicts the god Apollo as a shepherd, guarding the herds o...
25/11/2022

Best believe we’re still ✨bejewelled ✨

This beautiful gold box depicts the god Apollo as a shepherd, guarding the herds of Admetus. This is the same subject Claude Lorrain chose for his Landscape with Apollo and Mercury, which we highlighted earlier this week.

The diamonds which embellish this box are believed to be from two different periods, both of which perhaps date from after the manufacture of the box itself. They are believed to have been set in Germany or possibly Poland, first in the 1770s, and then at the beginning of the 19th century.

Want to delve deeper into the fascinating history of our gold boxes? There is still time to sign up for our upcoming two-day online course dedicated to our stunning collection. Find out more: bit.ly/3EYsxAE

 that King Richard III was the last English monarch to have been killed in battle? On 22 August 1485, Richard III, then ...
24/11/2022

that King Richard III was the last English monarch to have been killed in battle?

On 22 August 1485, Richard III, then aged 32, was killed during the Battle of Bosworth. This marked the end of the War of the Roses and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty, as Henry VII ascended to the throne.

Discover more about Richard III and the armour made for his last battle in ’s The Lost King, in our free display The Lost King: Imagining Richard III, on view until 8 January 2023.

French painter Claude Lorrain, also known as Claude, died  in 1682. Particularly inspired by the countryside around Rome...
23/11/2022

French painter Claude Lorrain, also known as Claude, died in 1682.

Particularly inspired by the countryside around Rome, where he spent most of his career, Claude built a reputation for his poetic compositions and masterly depictions of light.

The figures in this painting dated 1660 derive from the Latin poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The Roman god Apollo in the foreground plays the pipes in memory of his lost love, Coronis. In the background, Mercury takes advantage of Apollo’s distracted state of mind to steal his cattle.

The true subject of this painting, however, is the marvellous morning landscape inspired by the Roman Campagna, which the artist drew and painted throughout his career. To achieve his characteristic atmospheric mood, Claude preferred to paint morning and evening scenes.

22/11/2022

Before and After ✨👠

Explore The Swing in our new website dedicated to Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s masterpiece. Delve into the painting’s fascinating history and learn more about its extraordinary transformation.

Discover our website now: bit.ly/3DohCym

We could all do with a hug from a dog this Monday morning 🐶This painting by Joshua Reynolds is one of the most tender po...
21/11/2022

We could all do with a hug from a dog this Monday morning 🐶

This painting by Joshua Reynolds is one of the most tender portraits in our collection. Commissioned by Oldfield Bowles, a landowner and amateur painter, it depicts his daughter Miss Jane Bowles in a fanciful theatrical costume, embracing a spaniel. This is a particularly lively and spontaneous composition. The beam of sunlight shining through the foliage is boldly painted in a few decisive strokes of paint.

Oldfield Bowles was allegedly concerned about Reynolds’s experimental use of materials and feared the painting would fade overtime. Despite his concerns, the painting remains in good condition today, almost 250 years after it was produced.

Let’s take a closer look at one of the objects included in the gallery trail accompanying our free display, The Lost Kin...
20/11/2022

Let’s take a closer look at one of the objects included in the gallery trail accompanying our free display, The Lost King: Imagining Richard III 🔍

Last time, we focused on the bevor, which protected a knight’s throat. The bevor was often discarded by knights because it limited their ability to talk and be heard. However, late medieval knights were still protected through wearing a mail collar known as a 'standard'. The standard was often made of heavy, densely woven links, to stop sword and dagger thrusts, and even arrows.

For ’s feature film The Lost King, Wallace Collection curator Dr Tobias Capwell made a rich copper alloy standard for Harry Lloyd, the actor playing King Richard III.

Visit The Lost King: Imagining Richard III, continuing at the Wallace Collection until 8 January 2023.

🖼️ Mail standard, late 15th century

This weekend, will you be dancing all night or in bed by sunset?Let us know how you are planning to spend your weekend 👇...
19/11/2022

This weekend, will you be dancing all night or in bed by sunset?

Let us know how you are planning to spend your weekend 👇

🖼️ Nicolas Lancret, Mademoiselle de Camargo, 1730

Nicolas-René Jollain, Sleep (Le Sommeil), 1781

Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt was one of the leading portraitists in early 17th century Delft. He enjoyed prestigious com...
17/11/2022

Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt was one of the leading portraitists in early 17th century Delft. He enjoyed prestigious commissions from numerous noble families across the Dutch Republic.

It is easy to see why van Mierevelt’s portraits were acclaimed simply by looking at this painting, dated 1628. This is a particularly flattering depiction of its sitter: the woman’s face is elegantly framed by the intricate white ruff. It was van Mierevelt’s astonishing ability to render garments with such precision, from incredibly detailed lace to shimmering embroidered bodice, that made the artist popular.

Can you spot the tiny face on this stunning dagger? 😌 This moulded and gold-inlaid dagger is a treasure from our collect...
16/11/2022

Can you spot the tiny face on this stunning dagger? 😌

This moulded and gold-inlaid dagger is a treasure from our collection. Its beautifully ornamented blade is a rare surviving example of a group of blades made in the Timurid Empire at the end of the 15th century. The decorative pattern on the blade is typical of the manuscript illumination of Herat, a city in present-day Afghanistan. It shows a single line of Persian verse and exquisite vegetation and animals.

The dagger may have been made for Husayn Bayqara, the last Timurid sultan to wield effective political power, or one of his most important courtiers.

Learn more about this incredible dagger: bit.ly/3hI4sFi

Celebrated for his compelling portraits, British artist George Romney died  in 1802. Romney produced two portraits of Mr...
15/11/2022

Celebrated for his compelling portraits, British artist George Romney died in 1802.

Romney produced two portraits of Mrs Robinson, a well-known actress and novelist, during his career. One of them, completed in March 1782, remains untraced.

The other one, on display in the West Room at the Wallace Collection, captures Mrs Robinson’s beauty and magnetic charisma, which fascinated leading British portraitists such as Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. Here, she is depicted in simple yet fashionable garments, raising an eyebrow at the viewer.

During your next visit to the Wallace Collection, why not take a look at the three portraits of Mrs Robinson in our West Room. What do you think they tell us about the sitter? Let us know in the comments 👇

Small Treasures, big THANK YOU 👏Thanks to your kind donations, we have surpassed our original target of £7,000 and reach...
14/11/2022

Small Treasures, big THANK YOU 👏

Thanks to your kind donations, we have surpassed our original target of £7,000 and reached £10,000 to conserve our , 30 miniatures and manuscript cuttings as well as a stunning 18th-century drawing by Gabriel-Jacques de Saint-Aubin.

Watch this space as we will be sharing updates and content on our marvellous miniatures and manuscript cuttings 👀

🖼️ Louis-Nicolas van Blarenberghe, The Fair of Saint-Germain (detail), 1763
Manuscript Cutting, Galeazzo Maria Sforza in Prayer (detail), about 1477

You should see us in a crown 👑With the release of the fifth series of the The Crown on Netflix UK, we are sharing this c...
09/11/2022

You should see us in a crown 👑

With the release of the fifth series of the The Crown on Netflix UK, we are sharing this compelling portrait of Queen Victoria by Thomas Sully.

Dated 1838, this painting currently on display in our Front State Room depicts Queen Victoria aged 18, dressed in her robes of state. Sully broke the convention of portraiture by portraying the monarch looking over her shoulder in a spontaneous manner, as she steps towards her throne.

To protect the chin and neck, late medieval knights often wore a bevor like this one, dated around 1490. This plate coul...
08/11/2022

To protect the chin and neck, late medieval knights often wore a bevor like this one, dated around 1490. This plate could impede breathing and speech, leading some knights to discard them.

As historical advisor on the new film The Lost King, Wallace Collection curator Dr Tobias Capwell recommended that the actor Harry Lloyd, who played Richard III, do the same so he could be seen and his voice heard clearly.

Check out this bevor as well as exceptional arms and armour from our collection in the The Lost King: Imagining Richard III display trail.

The Lost King: Imagining Richard III continues at the Wallace Collection until 8 January 2023.

Notice something different? Our restaurant had a makeover! ☕Start the week off right with a coffee and a pastry from The...
07/11/2022

Notice something different? Our restaurant had a makeover! ☕

Start the week off right with a coffee and a pastry from The Wallace, Peyton and Byrne’s French-style brasserie and café. Fancy something savoury? We’re open for brunch and lunch every day. Book your table today: bit.ly/3sWIT62.

Earlier this week, we launched our crowdfunding campaign to conserve our , 30 miniatures and manuscript cuttings ✨We’re ...
06/11/2022

Earlier this week, we launched our crowdfunding campaign to conserve our , 30 miniatures and manuscript cuttings ✨

We’re pleased to announce that thanks to generous donations from across the world, we have reached our target of £7,000!

Shall we keep going? Help us raise £10,000 by the end of next week! This will enable us to expand the project and conserve Gabriel-Jacques de Saint-Aubin's A Fête in the Colisée (1772).

This stunning drawing was recently featured in our exhibition and is reminiscent of the Beast's ballroom in the animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991).

Find out how you can support the Wallace Collection today: bit.ly/3DQwLtE

Are you looking for a weeknight activity this November? Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Peter Paul Rubens, ...
05/11/2022

Are you looking for a weeknight activity this November?

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Peter Paul Rubens, one of the most celebrated artists of the 17th century, in our upcoming three day online course.

Acclaimed for his paintings overflowing with exuberance and life, Rubens turned to almost every subject during his long career. As court painter, he created portraits, mythologies and
massive schemes for palaces, as well as creating religious paintings for churches and convents. His domestic paintings include remarkable depictions of his family and the countryside he loved around Antwerp.

Over three weeks, explore the versatility and technical brilliance of this outstanding painter.

Find out more and book your tickets today: bit.ly/3UkkbYX

🖼️ Peter Paul Rubens, The Rainbow Landscape, c. 1636

French artist Paul Delaroche died  in 1856. Celebrated for his monumental paintings depicting dramatic moments in histor...
04/11/2022

French artist Paul Delaroche died in 1856.

Celebrated for his monumental paintings depicting dramatic moments in history, one of Delaroche’s most famous paintings is this sinister work dated 1831. Alluding to Richard III’s greatest crime, the alleged murder of the two ‘princes’ in the Tower of London, this infamous artwork has largely influenced our understanding of the life and character of the monarch.

The stage-like lighting reinforces its subject matter and the ominous shadow at the bottom of the door gives the overall composition a particularly heightened theatrical feel.

This painting is currently part of our free display The Lost King: Imagining Richard III, on view at the Wallace Collection until 8 January 2023.

✨ 💞 A little sparkle swinging into your Wednesday!Today we’re launching a site dedicated to one of our most iconic artwo...
02/11/2022

✨ 💞 A little sparkle swinging into your Wednesday!

Today we’re launching a site dedicated to one of our most iconic artworks, The Swing, by Jean-Honoré Fragonard.

Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about this enchanting painting can be found via this link: bit.ly/3DohCym

Click through to learn about its creation, conservation and influence.

We’ve teamed up with crystal artist Sara Shakeel to celebrate this magical painting.

Our crowdfunding campaign is LIVE! 👏🏻 💫This November, help us raise £7,000 to conserve 30 of our Small Treasures. We ide...
01/11/2022

Our crowdfunding campaign is LIVE! 👏🏻 💫

This November, help us raise £7,000 to conserve 30 of our
Small Treasures. We identified 16 miniatures and 14 manuscript cuttings as a high priority for conservation. We need your help now to bring these windows to the past to their former glory!

Find out how you can support us now: bit.ly/3DQwLtE

🖼️Isaac Oliver, Sir Richard Leveson, c. 1595–1600

Trick or Treat? 🍬 😱You’ll find us eating sweets and watching scary films, happy Halloween from the Woooollace Collection...
31/10/2022

Trick or Treat? 🍬 😱

You’ll find us eating sweets and watching scary films, happy Halloween from the Woooollace Collection!

🖼️ Alexandre-Gabriel Decamps, The Witches in Macbeth, c.1841–42

The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder and with the clocks going back this morning, we’re gearing u...
30/10/2022

The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder and with the clocks going back this morning, we’re gearing up for a season of cosiness 🍂

Today we’re highlighting this lively painting by Dutch artist Andreas Schelfhout. This is a prime example of how 19th century artists were indebted to 17th century art Dutch genre painting, depicting animated scenes of everyday life. Such works enjoyed a renewed popularity at the time, not only for their decorative qualities but also for their national appeal.

Schelfhout was greatly appreciated in Europe for winter scenes such as this one, titled Winter in Holland and dated 1843. The artist expertly conveyed the bright and cold winter evening light filtering through the clouds.

Help us conserve our ! ✨Next Tuesday (1 November), we will be launching our crowdfunding campaign to conserve 30 beautif...
28/10/2022

Help us conserve our ! ✨

Next Tuesday (1 November), we will be launching our crowdfunding campaign to conserve 30 beautiful miniatures and manuscript cuttings from the Wallace Collection.

These exceptional miniatures and manuscript cuttings are particularly vulnerable to light exposure and it is crucial that we preserve them for future generations to enjoy.

Keep your eyes peeled for more details on the campaign and how you can help us conserve our !

🖼️ Louis-Nicolas van Blarenberghe, The Fair of Saint-Germain, 1763

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Hertford House, Manchester Square
London
W1U3

Visiting by Bus Numbers 2, 10, 12, 13, 30, 74, 82, 94, 113, 137, 274 all stop nearby. Visiting by Rail Marylebone BR Station is approximately a 10-15 minute walk. Visiting by Tube The nearest tubes are Bond Street (Central & Jubilee Lines) and Baker Street (Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines). Oxford Circus (Bakerloo, Central, Victoria Lines) is a 10-15 minute walk. For visitors arriving with an Assistance Dog, Marble Arch is the nearest tube with stairs. Parking Parking on nearby streets metered until 6.30pm. A selection of car parks can be found nearb. Disabled visitors can pre-book a parking space, see website for information: http://www.wallacecollection.org/visiting/howtoreachus

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Comments

I just posted here about the potential closure of library and archive. Unless it is a technical hiccough my post seems to have been deleted. So how is the (short) consultation being carried out and where is the debate to take place?
I read with some concern about the current proposal to close the library and archive. Any quality gallery museum needs these, and I would expect any government controlled institution to offer public and scholarly access to the same.I didnt see an item in the board minutes about this. When was it decided or is it an officer level decision without public accountability?
I was registered for online Wallace Collection talk about collectors via Zoom on 26 October. I tried to log in with details taken from Wallace's confirmation email but got message that passcode was incorrect. Very disappointed to miss this talk. Did anyone else have same problem?
Please check messages as I have not had a response.
Thank you
I was registered for Last night’s Wallace online talk via Zoom - I could not log in with the details supplied on confirmation email so missed the seminar. Did anyone else have a problem?
The Two-Handed Greatsword (Spada a Due Mani) - Anonimo Bolognese (ca. 1500 - 1550) - 11th action

The third in a new series on the use of the Two-Handed Greatsword (Spada a due Mani), this is from the Manuscripts attributed to the ‘Anonimo Bolognese’ (ca. 1500 - 1550). Performed with a synthetic blade due to public access, this is the 11th action.

-———————————————————————————-
As many of you are probably aware, my moniker of ‘Wandering Swordsman’ used in these videos is based on the old European concept of a non guild affiliated instructor in swordsmanship being little better than a vagabond. This is particularly apt due to my lifestyle choice of living on a boat and travelling around the south of England, putting up posters and offering classes wherever I happen to stop.
-———————————————————————————-

Initiating action
a.) Begin the action in cinghiara porta di ferro alta, with your false edge in contact with that of your opponent.

b.) Cross your arms to bring your blade to the opposite side of your opponents weapon, catching the weak between your blade and crossguard.

c.) Throw the opponents weapon across your body with a sweeping action, passing obliquely to the right when their tip has moved safely out of presence.

d.) Continue the sweeping motion into a circular cut, drawing your left foot behind your right as you cut a mandritto fendente to your opponents head.

Counter action
a.) Await your opponents action in the same guard position.

b.) Do not react to your opponent as they cross their arms. Watch their feet peripherally - if you are keeping correct distance, then they should not be close enough to land a blow without advancing a foot.

c.) Your opportunity presents itself when your opponent passes forwards, throwing your weapon aside and uncrossing to cut at you.

d.) As your opponent releases your blade, cut a mezzo mandritto to their flank.

e.) Immediately lift into guardia di intrare, catching the opponents cut on your cross while threatening the face.

The great plague of 2020 has finally waned enough for me to get out and about a bit more; now to do something about this newly developed spare tire 😅🥺🍺

If you want to support the channel, feel free to get me a coffee over at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JayMaxwell and don’t forget to like and subscribe ☕️

The Two Handed Greatsword - Anonimo Bolognese (ca. 1500 - 1550) - 10th action

The second in a series on the use of the Two-Handed Greatsword (Spada a due Mani), this is from the Manuscripts attributed to the ‘Anonimo Bolognese’ (ca. 1500 - 1550). Performed with a synthetic blade due to public access, this is the 10th action.

-———————————————————————————-
As many of you are probably aware, my moniker of ‘Wandering Swordsman’ used in these videos is based on the old European concept of a non guild affiliated instructor in swordsmanship being little better than a vagabond. This is particularly apt due to my lifestyle choice of living on a boat and travelling around the south of England, putting up posters and offering classes wherever I happen to stop.
-———————————————————————————-

10th action
a.) Start in porta di ferro alta, with your false edge against that of your opponent.

b.) If your opponent thrusts along your blade, catch it on your Crossguard by lifting into guardia di testa.

c.) Use your weapon to forcefully displace your opponents blade down and to the right.

d.) Passing to the left, continue with a wheeling cut into a riverso fendente to the head and draw your right foot behind your left.

Counter action
a.) Starting in porta di ferro alta, pass forwards thrusting along your opponents blade, keeping your false edge in contact with theirs.

b.) When your opponent catches and displaces your blade, use the force of that displacement to turn a mandritto to their head.

For more on this subject, or if you would like to purchase your own training weapons to practice the content of these videos, please visit our website: www.tempus-fugitives.co.uk

I’m starting to look a bit scruffy again, I guess I’ll have to briefly head back towards civilisation soon 😕

If you want to support the channel, and a haircut, feel free to get me a coffee over at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JayMaxwell ☕️

What life could have been!!
The Military Billhook (Welsh or Forest Bill) - George Silver (1599) - paradoxes, ch. 13 pt. 6&8

George Silver was a controversial character, even in his time, for his vehement opposition to the popular Italian systems being taught in London during the 16th century. Claiming to be revealing the older English methods of combat, his ‘Paradoxes of Defense for the True Handling of all Manner of Weapons’ does give an excellent description of the principles upon which this systems is grounded.

The bill was the primary infantry weapon of Tudor armies, and described by George Silver as having “advantage against all manner of weapons whatsoever”. Ironically, Di Grassi, the author of an earlier book on Italian methodology popular in London - including the use of the bill - agreed with this notion in stating that the bill was the final and most superior form of polearm.

-———————————————————————————-
As many of you are probably aware, my moniker of ‘Wandering Swordsman’ used in these videos is based on the old European concept of a non guild affiliated instructor in swordsmanship being little better than a vagabond. This is particularly apt due to my lifestyle choice of living on a boat and travelling around the south of England, putting up posters and offering classes wherever I happen to stop.
-———————————————————————————-

Technique 1
a.) If the head of your opponents weapon lies lower than yours, place your fork over their haft, forcing it down.

b.) Pass forwards, sliding the fork up the haft to your opponents hands.

c.) Fall back into guard.

Technique 2
a.) If the head of your opponents weapon lies higher than yours, place your fork under their haft and force their weapon aside.

b.) Pass forwards, thrusting at your opponent one handed.

c.) If your thrust misses, pull your opponent off balance as you lacerate them with the hook, stepping back into guard.

For more on this subject, or if you would like to purchase your own training weapons to practice the content of these videos, please visit our website: www.tempus-fugitives.co.uk

I finally managed to buzz those nasty, messy head-weeds off my scalp! Phew...
The great plague of 2020 has certainly allowed me to cultivate my 16th c. beard, although I seem to be getting fatter every episode too 😅🥺🍺

If you want to support the channel, feel free to get me a coffee over at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JayMaxwell and don’t forget to like and subscribe ☕️

The Two-Handed Greatsword (Spada a Due Mani) - Anonimo Bolognese (ca. 1500 - 1550) - 9th action

The first in a new series on the use of the Two-Handed Greatsword (Spada a due Mani), this is from the Manuscripts attributed to the ‘Anonimo Bolognese’ (ca. 1500 - 1550). Performed with a synthetic blade due to public access, this is the 9th action.

-———————————————————————————-
As many of you are probably aware, my moniker of ‘Wandering Swordsman’ used in these videos is based on the old European concept of a non guild affiliated instructor in swordsmanship being little better than a vagabond. This is particularly apt due to my lifestyle choice of living on a boat and travelling around the south of England, putting up posters and offering classes wherever I happen to stop.
-———————————————————————————-

Initiating action
a.) Begin the action in cinghiara porta di ferro alta, with your false edge in contact with that of your opponent.

b.) Cut a mandritto into your opponents blade as you pass right.

c.) Inflict a falso to your opponents face as you draw your left foot behind your right.

Counter action
a.) Stand in guardia di porta di ferro alta, and do not react as your opponent beats down your blade.

b.) Raise your hands over your head to catch your opponents falso.

c.) Pass left, turning your blade over your head and gripping it at halfsword, so that the blade slopes down and to your left. Force your opponents blade to the side.

d.) Finish with a mandritto to your opponents head.

I finally managed to buzz those nasty, messy head-weeds off my scalp! Phew...
The great plague of 2020 has certainly allowed me to cultivate my 16th c. beard, and I seem to be looking somewhat trimmer again too 😃

If you want to support the channel, feel free to get me a coffee over at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JayMaxwell and don’t forget to like and subscribe ☕️

The Military Billhook (Welsh or Forest Bill) - George Silver (1599) - paradoxes, ch. 13 pt. 1&2

George Silver was a controversial character, even in his time, for his vehement opposition to the popular Italian systems being taught in London during the 16th century. Claiming to be revealing the older English methods of combat, his ‘Paradoxes of Defense for the True Handling of all Manner of Weapons’ does give an excellent description of the principles upon which this systems is grounded.

The bill was the primary infantry weapon of Tudor armies, and described by George Silver as having “advantage against all manner of weapons whatsoever”. Ironically, Di Grassi, the author of an earlier book on Italian methodology popular in London - including the use of the bill - agreed with this notion in stating that the bill was the final and most superior form of polearm.

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As many of you are probably aware, my moniker of ‘Wandering Swordsman’ used in these videos is based on the old European concept of a non guild affiliated instructor in swordsmanship being little better than a vagabond. This is particularly apt due to my lifestyle choice of living on a boat and travelling around the south of England, putting up posters and offering classes wherever I happen to stop.
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Technique 1
a.) Catch your opponents weapon in the fork of yours and displace it down and to the side.

b.) Run the fork up the haft of their weapon, and onto their hands as you start forward.

c.) Continue to pass forward to catch your opponents neck or limbs with the hook of the bill.

d.) Lacerate and unbalance your opponent by yanking sharply on the bill as you pass back.

e.) Although not strictly speaking in the text, it seems impolite to just leave your opponent lying there, so finish them off.

f.) Return back into guard.

Technique 2
a.) Catch your opponents weapon in the fork of yours and displace it down and to the side, this time so forcefully that you cannot attack his hands.

b.) Pass forwards into the opening you have created, placing your left hand near the head of your bill as you hook your opponents knee.

c.) Pass forwards again, tearing your opponents knee out with the hook of your bill as you close in to grapple.

For more on this subject, or if you would like to purchase your own training weapons to practice the content of these videos, please visit our website: www.tempus-fugitives.co.uk

I finally managed to buzz those nasty, messy head-weeds off my scalp! Phew...
The great plague of 2020 has certainly allowed me to cultivate my 16th c. beard, although I seem to be getting fatter every episode too 😅🥺🍺

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