07-10-2018, 09:49 AM
Thank you Marco I admit I didn't read the paper you linked. The analysis is most interesting.
But the images remain allegorical, albeit without the sex. The allegory here is moderation despite access to abundance.
As for the ape, if it were a symbol of power or wealth I would expect it be on the shoulder of the woman, a symbol of possession.
By its freedom and the fact it is depicted loose in the tree, I think most medievales would interpret it as a counterpoint to the text, as a symbol of gluttony.
But that is a personal opinion. My original point - why would a scribe copy one aspect of an image without transferring the symbolism - remains as a philosophical question, if this is indeed what has happened
But the images remain allegorical, albeit without the sex. The allegory here is moderation despite access to abundance.
As for the ape, if it were a symbol of power or wealth I would expect it be on the shoulder of the woman, a symbol of possession.
By its freedom and the fact it is depicted loose in the tree, I think most medievales would interpret it as a counterpoint to the text, as a symbol of gluttony.
But that is a personal opinion. My original point - why would a scribe copy one aspect of an image without transferring the symbolism - remains as a philosophical question, if this is indeed what has happened