1628 Rapier Prints with Background Scenes from Scola, Overo Teatro by Nicoletto Giganti
DESCRIPTION
These engravings originate from Nicoletto Giganti’s Scola, overo Teatro, first published in Venice in 1606 and followed by a second expanded edition in 1628. Giganti was one of the leading masters of the Venetian school of fencing, and his manual became a cornerstone of Italian rapier technique during the early 17th century. His clear, methodical instruction paired with some of the finest engraved fencing plates of the period helped shape European swordsmanship and influenced generations of masters throughout the Italian peninsula and beyond.
This collection of prints feature the most visually dramatic leaves in Giganti’s treatise—plates that place the fencers before elaborate harbor cities, fortresses, mountains, burning villages, and monumental structures like pyramids and arks. Unlike the more technical plates in other sections of the book, these scenes combine martial instruction with allegorical or narrative backgrounds, emphasizing the universality of fencing principles across landscapes, distances, and imagined battlefields. These prints are unique only to the second edition of Scola, overo Teatro, as they do not appear in the first edition.
Plate 4: Terza Guardia - Third Guard
This dramatic plate depicts two fencers in terza guardia, framed by a turbulent biblical scene featuring Noah’s Ark riding the floodwaters, drowning figures, and even a struggling unicorn, a whimsical nod to why such creatures never made it off the Ark to survive in the post-biblical world. The combatants demonstrate the structure of the third guard, emphasizing balance, readiness, and the angle of blade presentation. Giganti uses this plate to illustrate the stability and defensive potential of terza guardia before launching into offensive actions. The surreal flood scene heightens the tension, contrasting divine catastrophe with disciplined martial control.
Plate 8: Figura che mostrano quanto si perde di misura al tirare alle gambe - How Much Measure Is Lost When Striking at the Legs
Set before a serene maritime landscape of ships, distant architecture, and birds in flight, this plate teaches why lunging for the legs is dangerous: it overextends the fencer and abandons proper distance. The engraving shows one man reaching low while the opponent maintains structure and control, visually reinforcing Giganti’s warning against compromising posture. As the text explains, attacks to the legs create openings that experienced fencers can exploit with ease. The peaceful seascape offers a striking visual counterpoint to the technical lesson on overextension.
Plate 12: Figura che para con la spada con ambedue le mani, e ferisce di passata di punta nella gola - Parrying with Both Hands on the Sword and Striking the Throat with a Lunge
This plate unfolds before an elaborate background featuring an Egyptian-style pyramid, burning villages, seaside cities, and armored warriors, turning the combat into a mythic tableau. The technique itself demonstrates a rare action: gripping the sword with both hands to strengthen the parry, followed by a sudden thrust to the opponent’s throat. Giganti stresses the importance of timing and decisive forward motion when performing such an action. The dramatic landscape heightens the sense of urgency and danger inherent in close-quarter fencing.
Plate 24: Figura che ferisce sopra il braccio destro nel petto - Striking Above the Opponent’s Right Arm into the Chest
Set against a fortress and harbor scene filled with ships, towers, and distant city walls, this plate shows a fencer using the sword and dagger in combination to dominate the opponent’s right side. The attacker binds the opponent’s blade, cuts over the arm, and drives a thrust into the chest while maintaining dagger control. Giganti emphasizes how blade engagement and angle allow the fencer to strike safely while preventing a counterattack. The bustling coastal background adds a sense of worldly sophistication to an otherwise intimate tactical exchange.
Plate 40: Figura che ferisce di punta di terza nella coscia, et col pugnale nella vita - Thrusting in Third to the Thigh While Cutting with the Dagger at the Waist
Before an ornate backdrop of walled cities, mountain ranges, and distant riders on horseback, the fencers demonstrate a coordinated attack that combines a low thrust with a simultaneous dagger cut. This plate highlights the complexity of sword-and-dagger fighting, where offense and defense occur in one fluid action. Giganti’s accompanying text stresses the precision required to maintain control of the opponent’s blade while delivering two targeted blows. The rich scenery underscores the Renaissance appetite for dramatic storytelling, even within technical manuals.
CONDITION
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