What is that guy doing?

[CuNosecap]

Could it be that this original picture represents the first example of the media having no clue about anything "firearms" related?

 

[Black_Feather]

Could it be that this original picture represents the first example of the media having no clue about anything "firearms" related?

lol! You might be right!

 

[PhDBrewer]

@The Miner '49er
Where is the original from?

It was a screenshot from somewhere.
Thanks.

 

[Pratt]

It is a hand cannon. He is aiming it like a archer and the other guy is touching it off.

 

[Jerry4History]

Hi friends, I did a bit of research and I found out that the image is actually from a book published in 1873 in France called Les arts au moyen age et a l'époque de la renaissance.


On this link you can find a PDF to the full scan of The book, But I also screenshotted the page and uploaded it here (It's a big file to download). It's on page 134.

The clarity of the art style is clear indication that this is a Sketch made in the late 1800s depicting early medieval firearms, not an actual image from the medieval times. That is pretty standard for the 1800s when historical research was much less scientific and detail-oriented than it is today. The victorians especially liked latching on to facts that we might find outlandish or unbelievable, which I think might be the case with this image intentionally showing some unbelievable image a medieval Knight doesn't understand the concept of a stick! Which of course is not true.

So yes, definitely fantasy, in the standard Victorian style of fantasizing and mytholizing history to try to make it more exciting or epic.

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wik...a_renaissance_(IA_lesartsaumoyenag00jaco).pdf

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I'd consider that drawing an artist's fantasy. Look at the way the other man is holding the gonne. No way he could handle the recoil in that position."

Well, I disagree …

I had 3, just sold 1, so am now down to 2, a 75 & 62-cal TRS … but the recoil in that position shown is easily manageable IMHO. I can even hold one over my shoulder or under my armpit with just one hand whilst someone else lights it or when I use a fuse (demonstrations). ‘Ride’ the recoil baby, it’s nothing!

But I do agree that there may be some artistic license taken with that exact shooting position, as it should be ‘over the shoulder’ with the 2 hands in a fore & aft position, kinda as shown, but his forward hand should be more forward.

FWIW my BP Club has a big BP-shoot shoot coming up at the end of OCT and we usually have 50 or 60 more participants, complete with cannons and Gatling guns. I will have someone video me taking shots with the 75-cal gonne ‘1 handed’ with charges of 75 grains of 2Fg supported by one hand.

 

[The Miner '49er]

Thanks @Jerry4History. I assume you read French, and if that's correct, does the text explain exactly what the man on the right is applying to the gonne? That's the nut I'm trying to crack.

 

[earlwb]

I would say the fellow likely has his hand and fingers off to the side a little. Thus setting off the charge safely. You don’t want to mess with the shooters aiming by obstructing it.

But putting a pinch of powder over the flash hole is reasonable too. Then set it off on command.

But like you guys stated it could be a early example of a clueless journalist artist.

 

[Jerry4History]

Thanks @Jerry4History. I assume you read French, and if that's correct, does the text explain exactly what the man on the right is applying to the gonne? That's the nut I'm trying to crack.

I don't speak French, but we have Google lens to help us out a bit. I screenshotted the translation of the page

Unfortunately it doesn't give us any information, but apparently this is from a tapestry in a cathedral. Nonetheless it still doesn't mean it's a historical tapestry. I really don't think the guy is doing anything historically relevant, probably a misinterpretation of how old firearms were used made by an 1800s artist

 

[The Miner '49er]

Thanks again, Jerry for the info.