Although the Sélestat Humanist Library is best known for its collections of books on philosophy, religion and history, it also possesses volumes on more unexpected subjects, such as German fencing master Joachim Meyer’s treatise Thorough Descriptions of the Art of Fencing, first published in 1570 in Strasbourg. It is this book that is the starting point for the On Guard! Exhibition.
In this Olympics year, the exhibition uses treatises, works of art and weapons from the 16th to the 21st century to guide visitors through the historical, literary and artistic backgrounds and take them into the heart of the story of European fencing and swordsmanship. The common thread in this exhibition comes from the four masterpieces of swashbuckling French literature – The Three Musketeers, The Hunchback, Captain Fracasse and Cyrano de Bergerac.
Improvements in the quality of steel in the 16th century and the increasing expertise of blacksmiths and sword cutlers, brought sword making to new heights, which in turn led to changes in sword fighting techniques. Swords at the time were expensive to buy and were considered as marks of prestige. Their use moved gradually away from the battlefield and into the social sphere and although they were not the exclusive property of nobles, they still remained an instrument of social and individual distinction, with all its sophisticated codes and conventions.
The origins of modern sword fighting date back to the 16th century in the Holy Roman Empire, Italy, Spain and France. With the invention of the printing press, fencing treatises became more widely available and, with the increasing contacts between fencing masters and pupils in the different countries, sword fighting techniques gradually came together, even if some national characteristics still stood out.
Like the knights of mediaeval times, the heroes of modern fencing and sword fighting have been a continual source of fascination for readers, authors and artists from every type of cultural background, from literature to graphic novels and video games.
