The World's Four Earliest Known Cannon Depictions

Matchlock · 1st April 2012, 09:39 PM

Nobody has, at least to my knowledge, assembled these up to now.

From top to bottom:

- 1326-7, Walter de Milemete, traditionally Oxford Christ Church ms 2, now Oxford Bodleian Library ms 92, fol 70v, well known

- 1326, Walter de Milemete, Holkham ms 458, British Library, far less known

- ca. 1340, detail of a fresco at Eremo Lecceto abbey, near Siena, Italy - the earliest known piece of artwork depicting a 'carriage'

- ca. 1343-5, and very similar to the foregoing, from Jan van Boendale, Brabantsche Yeesten (Great Deeds of Brabant), Brussels, Royal Library, ms IV 684

As seen in the latter, please note that in the earliest days of the gun, the charge of powder required was so large that the stone (!) ball was virtually located in the muzzle area (German Steinbüchse).

Best,
Michael

1st April 2012, 09:39 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The World's Four Earliest Known Cannon Depictions Nobody has, at least to my knowledge, assembled these up to now. From top to bottom: - 1326-7, Walter de Milemete, traditionally Oxford Christ Church ms 2, now Oxford Bodleian Library ms 92, fol 70v, well known - 1326, Walter de Milemete, Holkham ms 458, British Library, far less known - ca. 1340, detail of a fresco at Eremo Lecceto abbey, near Siena, Italy - the earliest known piece of artwork depicting a 'carriage' - ca. 1343-5, and very similar to the foregoing, from Jan van Boendale, Brabantsche Yeesten (Great Deeds of Brabant), Brussels, Royal Library, ms IV 684 As seen in the latter, please note that in the earliest days of the gun, the charge of powder required was so large that the stone (!) ball was virtually located in the muzzle area (German Steinbüchse). Best, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 2nd April 2012 at 02:39 AM.