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ArtistThis historical illustration, drawn in a hand-drafted style on aged parchment, depicts three fencing stances from different European traditions—Spanish (*Española*), French (*Francesa*), and Italian (*Italiana*)—labeled at the top as “3 Plantas: Española, Franc(sa), é Italiana.” Each stance is shown in a separate horizontal section with a human figure holding a sword, accompanied by annotated measurements and foot placements along a grid marked with vertical dotted lines and numerical scales. The top figure, labeled "Española," stands upright with the sword fully extended forward at shoulder level, legs together, feet aligned on a labeled base marked "1. pie," suggesting a linear, high-guard posture emphasizing reach. The middle figure, "Francesa," is in a bent-knee stance with feet spread apart, left hand raised, and the sword angled diagonally, indicating a more balanced and flexible posture; the legs and stance are marked "1. 2 g" with reference points "e," "f," and "h." The bottom figure, "Italiana," displays the most dynamic and low posture, with bent knees, a wider stance marked from "1. 2. 3." and letters "j," "k," "Y," holding the sword at a lower angle, possibly reflecting the Italian school’s emphasis on mobility and grounded defense. The illustration combines elements of martial instruction, geometry, and proportional comparison, capturing a period study of European fencing techniques with visual precision and cultural classification.
A beautifully detailed, antique etching from the 18th century. The upper and lower parts of the document feature the text in a serif font and are organized into three rows. The first row, labeled "Española," displays a fencer in a white uniform and a black mask, with their sword extended forward and their left arm outstretched to the side. The fencer's legs are bent, indicating a defensive or poised stance. The second row, labeled "Francesa," shows another fencer in a similar uniform and mask, but with a slightly different pose. Their left arm is closer to their body, and their legs are lunged forward, suggesting a more aggressive or attacking position. The third row, labeled "Italiana," features the third fencer again in a similar uniform and mask, but with another distinct pose. Their right arm is extended, and their left arm is also outstretched, but their body is further bent over, suggesting a different style of defensive or attacking maneuvers. Above each fencer, there are annotations in a cursive font. The fencers are rendered with precise lines and subtle shading, appearing almost like engravings. The background is a plain off-white, allowing the figures and text to stand out.