On Drawing the Bow
Very interesting work. Thanks for sharing.
Quite interesting. I, too, extend thanks for posting it.
One thing that may, or may not, be relevant: the representations are not always clear as to what side of the bow the arrow is on. The article posits that the Mediterranean draw must be on the left hand side of the bow; this may not always come through in the pictures and sculptures. As Mr. Selby has posted, there are modern Mongolian archers using the Mongol release who are getting good results putting the arrow on the left hadn side of the bow. And, looking at a number of reproductions (photographs) of medieval European painting and book illuminations and tapestries, I note that even using the Mediterranean draw, arvhers have the arrows on the right side of the bow.
So, do the eleases actually "mandate" that the arow must be on a certain side of the bow?
Oh-and when using the Mediterranean draw, how do you keep the arow lying straight on the outside of the bow?
One thing that may, or may not, be relevant: the representations are not always clear as to what side of the bow the arrow is on. The article posits that the Mediterranean draw must be on the left hand side of the bow; this may not always come through in the pictures and sculptures. As Mr. Selby has posted, there are modern Mongolian archers using the Mongol release who are getting good results putting the arrow on the left hadn side of the bow. And, looking at a number of reproductions (photographs) of medieval European painting and book illuminations and tapestries, I note that even using the Mediterranean draw, arvhers have the arrows on the right side of the bow.
So, do the eleases actually "mandate" that the arow must be on a certain side of the bow?
Oh-and when using the Mediterranean draw, how do you keep the arow lying straight on the outside of the bow?
I would not trust medieval or later European illustrations concerning archery matters. While some appear to be quite accurate, the painters or illuminators rarely had any archery experience themselves and may somteimes never have seen bow and arrow "in action".
Usually the intention was not to give a precise representation of an archer, but to transport the idea "someone is shooting with a bow and arrow". In most representations the context is more important than the archery scene itself.
Sometimes it seems the artist simply put the arrow on that side of the bow facing the viewer. There is a painting of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian where this is quite obvious: archers on the right hand side of the painting have their arrows to the left (back of the hand), archers on the other side have theirs on the right side of the bow (on the thumb). I'll try to find that painting again and post it here.
Even Albrecht Durer, a "naturalist" in his time, gave his Apollon a somewhat twisted stance that in reality would render drawing the bow simply impossible! But that way, the muscles were displayed better ?
If you want to keep the arrow from falling of the back of your hand and keep it right next to the bow itself, you might want to cant it a little. To have the top end leaning to the right is easiier than to the left if you grip the bow with your left hand. Maybe that's the reason to put the arrow on the left side of the bow?
What do you mean by "keep the arow lying straight on the outside of the bow"?
Usually the intention was not to give a precise representation of an archer, but to transport the idea "someone is shooting with a bow and arrow". In most representations the context is more important than the archery scene itself.
Sometimes it seems the artist simply put the arrow on that side of the bow facing the viewer. There is a painting of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian where this is quite obvious: archers on the right hand side of the painting have their arrows to the left (back of the hand), archers on the other side have theirs on the right side of the bow (on the thumb). I'll try to find that painting again and post it here.
Even Albrecht Durer, a "naturalist" in his time, gave his Apollon a somewhat twisted stance that in reality would render drawing the bow simply impossible! But that way, the muscles were displayed better ?
If you want to keep the arrow from falling of the back of your hand and keep it right next to the bow itself, you might want to cant it a little. To have the top end leaning to the right is easiier than to the left if you grip the bow with your left hand. Maybe that's the reason to put the arrow on the left side of the bow?
What do you mean by "keep the arow lying straight on the outside of the bow"?
Just to put some perspective on the modern Mongolian style, it is a living tradition and changes. The placing of the arrow on the left side of the bow was invented in about 1964 in Mongolia to correct a problem some archers were having. I have this information from a Mongolian expert on archery who explained it to me when I asked why old photographs from the mid twentieth century always showed the arrow in the standard position.
Modern Mongolian archers using this technique either use an improvised shelf or nock the arrow far enough above the drawing hand that it is not being touched. The old photographs always showed the arrow in contact with the hand as in the Turkish and Persian styles.
One reason for the bad positioning of the arrow on the bow in mediaeval paintings is that it was often painted after the bow and the artist just carried it across the grip without a thought for accuracy. If the archer was shown from the back it looks correct.
Modern Mongolian archers using this technique either use an improvised shelf or nock the arrow far enough above the drawing hand that it is not being touched. The old photographs always showed the arrow in contact with the hand as in the Turkish and Persian styles.
One reason for the bad positioning of the arrow on the bow in mediaeval paintings is that it was often painted after the bow and the artist just carried it across the grip without a thought for accuracy. If the archer was shown from the back it looks correct.
Ooops ? it seems my memory got two different pictures mixed up. Obviously the pic I was referring to does not show the martyrium of S. Sebastian but the tradition of "Popinjay", also known as "Papingo", or "Tir a la perche" in French:
[external image]
BTW, a high resolution image of D?rer's Apollon can be found here:
http://images.zeno.org/Kunstwerke/I/big/323D038a.jpg
[external image]
BTW, a high resolution image of D?rer's Apollon can be found here:
http://images.zeno.org/Kunstwerke/I/big/323D038a.jpg
Thanks for the responses.
I'm sorry not to have come in earlier, I have limited access to my computer.
"lying straight across the bow on the outside" means that the arrow seems to be pointing straight out from the string across the bow, without any pointing to a side, which is what happens when I try to put the arrow on the outside.
I'm sorry not to have come in earlier, I have limited access to my computer.
"lying straight across the bow on the outside" means that the arrow seems to be pointing straight out from the string across the bow, without any pointing to a side, which is what happens when I try to put the arrow on the outside.