Please let me know if this has been discussed before.
Can the star in Virgo's hand give us some hints?
In another thread, I presented a programmatic way to compute similarity between zodiacs.
Having a star in the hand is a pretty rare characteristic, observed in just 3 zodiacs out of the 100 I looked at:
- Mantova Lat. 209 (1470, Lombardy, Italy)
- Berlin Regimen Sanitatis Ms.germ.fol.1191 (1450-1460, Freiburg, Germany)
- BNF Arabe 5036 (1436, Samarkand)
It's interesting how the bottom two are similar to each other (full constellation, left hand pinching the vest, etc.), despite being from very distant regions.
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I would say the bottom examples have a star "on" their hand, rather than in their hand.
In my opinion the VM Virgo's star is unique because the VM plays on the ambiguity between flowers (aster) and "stars on strings". If you see a Virgo holding an item on a "string", it will always be a flower. A flower is expected for Virgo (at least one of the possibilities) so this interpretation would be clear to people used to images of Virgo holding flowers.
What about the (blue) hat?
(19-01-2021, 01:31 AM)R. Sale Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.What about the (blue) hat?
I have found just one other Virgo with what looks like a proper hat (not a crown, veil, etc) and that's from the Persian Horoscope of Prince Iskandar, but that's pretty much the only thing the two figures have in common.
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attachment=5190]
I think all those things on 'strings' are probably stars, but after looking at thousands of manuscripts, I also have a small voice in the back of my head that reminds me that some medieval illustrators drew stars like flowers and flowers like stars. There's definitely not a clear delineation between them.
I've been assuming the one in Virgo's hand is probably a star because it's Zodiac-figure related, but I'm still remind myself that it's an assumption. Virgo was frequently depicted with a sheaf of grain, a feather-like plant, a flower, or a wreath.
Yeah I also think they are stars, but the ones on strings are ramping up the ambiguity. Maybe as a nod to this they put an unmistakable flower at her feet, the one she would be holding if the star-on-a-stalk wasn't in its place.
Using a sickle to harvest the stars...while running...happens all the time...right?
Really, that should be an ear of grain in the hand, rather than a flower...
Edit (after R.Sale's follow-up post): I meant that in general, not just w.r.t. the Persian horoscope.
Maybe it's grain in front - stars in back, throughout the medallion - *not connected*.
(18-01-2021, 10:38 PM)Gioynich Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.Mantova Lat. 209 (1470, Lombardy, Italy)
That one looks like a crucifix to me, not a star.