Berlin Picture Book (Libr.Pict.A.83)

Berlin Picture Book
Libr.Pict.A83, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Berlin, Germany
Hagedorn BS Leng 38.9.3
Wierschin 1 Hils 12
Type	Picture book
Date	ca. 1512
Language(s)	Early New High German
Author(s)	Unknown
Illustrator(s)	Albrecht Dürer (?)
Material	Paper, with a half-leather cover
Size	65 folia (195 mm × 317 mm)
Format	Double-sided; two illustrations per side, with scattered text
External data	Library catalog entry
Treatise scans	Digital scans (750x1100)

The Berlin Picture Book (Libr. pict. A 83) is a German manuscript thought to have been created in the workshop of Albrecht Dürer as preparation for his fencing manual of 1512 (MS 26-232). The original currently rests in the holdings of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin in Berlin, Germany. This manuscript is just a book of illustrations, not a true fencing manual, and its focus is on accurately depicting the fighters rather than on explicating their techniques. It seems to be connected in some way to the Augsburg manuscript group, and also incorporates the dagger content from Hans Talhoffer's 1448 manuscript and sword and buckler pieces of unknown origin.

Provenance

The known provenance of the Libr. pict. A 83 is:

• 1845-present – Held by the Staatsbibliothek Preußischer Kulturbesitz (purchased Berlin, Asher, 1845)

Contents

1r - 6v	Anonymous short sword pieces Images Draft Translation by Jens P. Kleinau Transcription  by Dierk Hagedorn Two guards SwingPiece To the thrust [1r-a] zwo huet schwungstuck zum stich {binding} Outside and inside through the arm thrusted and then standing up [1r-b] Aussen vnd In Wendig durch den Arm gestochen vnd dan auff gestanden To grab with the sword releasing at the follow of the knee the hip A piece against the ox (first) with it thrust through the arm [1v-a] das fassen mit dem schwert losen an der kelen die huff Stuck zum ersten dam[it] gestochen durch den arm free strike two breakings, point and pommel to the neck [1v-b] frayer straÿch Zwen pruch spitz vnd knopf an den hals push hit and tear [2r-a] stossen schlahen vnd reyssen deathstrike (thunderstrike) thrust through for the visor break the left hand at his hilt and with the pommel through winded [2r-b] Donerschlag vnden durch geschossen fur das visir pruch die linck hant an seyn gehultz vnd mitt dem knopf durch gewunden In the hilt break wind over with the blade and tear downwards [2v-a] In das gehultz pruch vber win[d] mitt der kling vnd hinder reit twitching sword over neck [2v-b] Zucken schwert vber hals [3r-a] [No text] [3r-b] [No text] [3v-a] [No text] [3v-b] [No text] [4r-a] [No text] [4r-b] [No text] [4v-a] [No text] [4v-b] [No text] [5r-a] [No text] [5r-b] [No text] [5v-a] [No text] [5v-b] [No text] [6r-a] [No text] [6r-b] [No text] [6v-a] [No text] [6v-b] [No text]
7r - 32v	Long sword illustrations from the Augsburg tradition
33r - 36r	Illustrations of sword and buckler
36v - 65v	Dagger illustrations from the Augsburg tradition and Hans Talhoffer

Gallery

Spine

Front Cover

Inside Cover

Ir

Iv

Folio 1r

Folio 1v

Folio 2r

Folio 2v

Folio 3r

Folio 3v

Folio 4r

Folio 4v

Folio 5r

Folio 5v

Folio 6r

Folio 6v

Folio 7r

Folio 7v

Folio 8r

Folio 8v

Folio 9r

Folio 9v

Folio 10r

Folio 10v

Folio 11r

Folio 11v

Folio 12r

Folio 12v

Folio 13r

Folio 13v

Folio 14r

Folio 14v

Folio 15r

Folio 15v

Folio 16r

Folio 16v

Folio 17r

Folio 17v

Folio 18r

Folio 18v

Folio 19r

Folio 19v

Folio 20r

Folio 20v

Folio 21r

Folio 21v

Folio 22r

Folio 22v

Folio 23r

Folio 23v

Folio 24r

Folio 24v

Folio 25r

Folio 25v

Folio 26r

Folio 26v

Folio 27r

Folio 27v

Folio 28r

Folio 28v

Folio 29r

Folio 29v

Folio 30r

Folio 30v

Folio 31r

Folio 31v

Folio 32r

Folio 32v

Folio 33r

Folio 33v

Folio 34r

Folio 34v

Folio 35r

Folio 35v

Folio 36r

Folio 36v

Folio 37r

Folio 37v

Folio 38r

Folio 38v

Folio 39r

Folio 39v

Folio 40r

Folio 40v

Folio 41r

Folio 41v

Folio 42r

Folio 42v

Folio 43r

Folio 43v

Folio 44r

Folio 44v

Folio 45r

Folio 45v

Folio 46r

Folio 46v

Folio 47r

Folio 47v

Folio 48r

Folio 48v

Folio 49r

Folio 49v

Folio 50r

Folio 50v

Folio 51r

Folio 51v

Folio 52r

Folio 52v

Folio 53r

Folio 53v

Folio 54r

Folio 54v

Folio 55r

Folio 55v

Folio 56r

Folio 56v

Folio 57r

Folio 57v

Folio 58r

Folio 58v

Folio 59r

Folio 59v

Folio 60r

Folio 60v

Folio 61r

Folio 61v

Folio 62r

Folio 62v

Folio 63r

Folio 63v

Folio 64r

Folio 64v

Folio 65r

Folio 65v

Folio 66r

Folio 66v

Inside Cover

Back Cover

Additional Resources

The following is a list of publications containing scans, transcriptions, and translations relevant to this article, as well as published peer-reviewed research.

• Walczak, Bartłomiej (2022). "Bauman Dagger Techniques and the Augsburg Group." Bauman's Fight Book: Augsburg University Library Ⅰ.6.4º 2: 103-128. Ed. by Michael Chidester. Medford, MA: HEMA Bookshelf. ISBN 978-1-953683-27-4.

Copyright and License Summary

For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.

Work	Author(s)	Source	License
Images	Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin	Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preußischer Kulturbesitz
Translation	Jens P. Kleinau	Hans Talhoffer ~ as seen by Jens P. Kleinau
Transcription	Dierk Hagedorn	Index:Berlin Picture Book (Libr.Pict.A.83)