How late 15th to mid 16th century guns were aimed, in historic illustrations

Matchlock · 2nd December 2008, 07:53 PM

Hi, Fernando,

Thanks for commenting, and nice to hear of you again.

I consent to your points 1, 3 and 4, either way.

Actually inverting left and right, and cyphers as well, is quite common in Gothic and Renaissance art. It is supposed that the artists just did not care or, as you pointed out, did not know exactly what the lock mechanism looked like. You even find that phenomemon in 18th and 19th century paintings - and, sadly enough, with modern museum displays exhibiting guns with their counter lock side turned to the viewer. E.g., in the Maximilian inventories, many guns are depicted with their serpentines attached to the barrels (!) - now how cute is that? They just did not care.

Nothing is known to me about aiming left-handed intentionally. Only one single gun with a (part replaced) left hand snap tinder lock mechanism, ca. 1500, is known to have survived; it is preserved in the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Michael

2nd December 2008, 07:53 PM	#9
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi, Fernando, Thanks for commenting, and nice to hear of you again. I consent to your points 1, 3 and 4, either way. Actually inverting left and right, and cyphers as well, is quite common in Gothic and Renaissance art. It is supposed that the artists just did not care or, as you pointed out, did not know exactly what the lock mechanism looked like. You even find that phenomemon in 18th and 19th century paintings - and, sadly enough, with modern museum displays exhibiting guns with their counter lock side turned to the viewer. E.g., in the Maximilian inventories, many guns are depicted with their serpentines attached to the barrels (!) - now how cute is that? They just did not care. Nothing is known to me about aiming left-handed intentionally. Only one single gun with a (part replaced) left hand snap tinder lock mechanism, ca. 1500, is known to have survived; it is preserved in the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum. Michael