Monday, June 09, 2008

Campus Life in 1600

frontispiece


tennis match in 1589


university ball game in 1600


sword play at the University of Tubingen


college quadrangle at the University of Tubingen


dining hall at Tübingen college, 1589


lecture theatre or college chapel


Tubingen University Library, 1600


campus grounds at Tubingen University, 1600


jousting games


grounds at University of Tubingen 1600


archery field - Tubingen Univ. Baden-Württemberg


quarterstaff and combat training - Tubingen 1589


'Illustrissimi Wirtembergici Ducalis Novi Collegis quod Tubingae quam Situm quam Studia quam Exercitia Accurata Delinateo' - (something vaguely approximating: An accurate depiction of the illustrious Duke of Württemberg's new college of study exercises at Tübingen)

This album of thirteen engravings of university life in Germany was designed by Johann Christoph Neyffer and the plates were produced by Ludwig Ditzinger somewhere between 1589 and 1600. All the sparse references to this work do describe them as engravings but they appear more like ink/wash drawings to my eye. Of particular note is the second image above showing an early depiction of (real) tennis.

The trouble with the modern education system is that there is far too little attention paid to jousting and quarterstaff combat.

6 comments :

Karla said...

"The trouble with the modern education system is that there is far too little attention paid to jousting and quarterstaff combat."

That was the part that reminded me most of my undergraduate days, but then I spent all my time over at Performing Arts. (When not roaming the woods late at night like a brigand.) Others, of course, will find the tennis game more emblematic of their college days.

peacay said...

Well I'm a bit miffed they obviously edited out the beer chugging and barfing pavilion.

Karla said...

Hey, I forgot about that part. All that alcohol has pickled my brain. Yes, a fine colorul pavilion, with banners and so forth, a few kegs, and some sort of trough for the puke disposal. Every school has one.

Hucbald said...

Regrettably, there isn't enough swordplay on college campuses today. It would simplify the pass/fail system so much.

peacay said...

"As you lay there bleeding on our field Mr Heinz, I suggest you ponder your approach to class. It's all well and good knowing your 12-times table and the formula for the area of a circle, but what use is any of this, I ask you, if you can't parry away a broadsword thrust to the spleen, eh? I'm afraid you've blown your chance for entry into the advanced geometry class next semester."

tavares crazy hat tattoo said...

by the point of view that the artist used, i supose that he was one of the excluded folks out there.

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