By deer-like I mean those representations where the head / face is more narrow, particularly around the nostrils. Some faces just look like cows, others don't.
As far as bovine genitalia in medieval illustrations, absence is fairly common. Then there are the other options. Anatomically reasonable is one. Anatomically incorrect (heraldically pizzled) is another. However, there is a lot of variation, from an almost imperceptible, hair-like, white line to - well - you'll have to see for yourselves.
Check the photo galleries in Post #17
Another source found there with four interesting illustrations is B L Additional Ms 11390
Images: Bull #17, Buffalo #9, #10 & #11.
Source: Der Naturen Bloeme by Jacob van Maerlant
Netherlands: 1300-1325
Artistic style is similar to the VMs and only a century too early.
As with the lobsters, some of the bull's bizarre aspects seem to have originated in the various related traditions that based their stock of images on Valenciennes MS 320. (Cantimpre, De Natura Rerum) You are not allowed to view links.
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Maerlant also based his images on the Cantimpre tradition, as did a number of Czech? Mss.
The VM Zodiac illustrations have been served with a different sauce though, and I still don't quite know which one. It's clearly closely related to several German and Alsatian sources, but I don't think it directly derives from any source we have found so far.
A good check on the chances of success in doing this could be to see if this can be, or even has been, achieved with the more numerous illustrations in other known zodiacs. The sagittarius could be a good test case for that as it stands out quite well.
People have commented that the Voynich MS Sagittarius hardly looks like any of the other human crossbow holders, and imply that the comparison does not mean too much. While indeed it appears different, most of the others also appear different from each other, with a few clear exceptions.
There should be plenty of material so see what can be (or has in fact been) achieved in creating a pedigree for these images. If it can't be done, chances for the rare Voynich zodiac should be even less.
It's the ongoing contest between appearance and identity. It's the Elephant Problem.
Here are 143 images of elephants.
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And here are another 83 images with a few duplications.
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Many variations of appearance. No variation of identity. No matter how it looks, it's a generic elephant.
The basic criteria for the VMs Sagittarius comparison are simply that it is a human crossbowman and not the more typical centaur with a bow and arrow. That distinction leads to several historical comparisons.
The VMs artist has been shown to be a practitioner of visual trickery and anyone can make a mistake.
The bulls' horns of VMs Taurus are lyre-shaped, tall and vertical, with long upper tips. The minimalistic pizzles are anatomically misplaced, according to "genital confusion". But it's right where a *heraldic* pizzle is supposed to be. Too far back for a bull; too far forward (?) for a lion. The horns are also very similar to heraldic examples. So. there are two independent elements here that seem to reveal new heraldic influences in VMs artistry.
(24-12-2024, 02:49 AM)R. Sale Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.The VMs artist has been shown to be a practitioner of visual trickery
I do not think that this has been shown at all.
What people may agree on is that the VMs illustrations are hard to judge.
I am not aware of any evidence that this artist (or these artists if there are more than one) made a deliberate attempt to be unclear, unspecific, let alone misleading.
They are indeed hard to judge and appear to fall somewhat in between various traditions.
The crossbowman is a good example. Crossbow Sagittarius does only appear in a certain lineage, but he lacks an important feature common (and likely essential) to that tradition. All others (as far as I recall) are taking aim while our guy is casually walking around. One of them is even shooting right at us, apparently breaking the 4th wall.
More generally, the question we struggle with is this: which of the oddities and deviations were introduced by the VM artist, and which ones were taken from his source? For example, I think the Aries and bulls unusual eating habits stem from a misinterpretation or reinterpretation of background elements. But had this realignment already happened in the source they copied from, or was it original to the VM?
@RensZ et al.
While visual trickery may look like ambiguity or individual variation, sometimes it is a bit more obvious.
In VMs White Aries, (f71r), there are two tub patterns at 10 - 11 o'clock that were painted with blue stripes.
What is the orientation of these patterns and how do they compare with standard heraldic examples?
To determine orientation, it is natural to turn the VMs illustration so that the nymphs and the tubs are viewed upright. Thus the stripes on the inner tub are vertical, and the stripes on the outer tub correspond to the heraldic sinister (left-handed) diagonal. This is the 'radial' interpretation.
As an alternative, consider just the patterns themselves in isolation on the page. In this interpretation, both patterns best correspond to the heraldic standard, dexter (right-handed) diagonal. Is this interpretation valid or just an artifact?
Note that the nymph in the inner circle is also wearing a large, reddish hat.
What do you know about the origins of the Catholic tradition of the cardinal's red galero? It was instituted by Pope Innocent IV, who was Sinibaldo Fieschi. The Fieschi armorial insignia is 'bendy, argent et azure - blue and white stripes on a dexter diagonal - the same as the secondary interpretation above. Furthermore, Pope Innocent IV made several of his relatives cardinals, most notably his nephew, Ottobuono Fieschi, who was later Pope Adrian V.
Does the VMs image support this interpretation?
1) With the cardinal in the inner ring and the pope in the outer ring, this is the correct placement for hierarchical positioning in the celestial spheres.
2) Both figures are located in the more favored heraldic upper right quadrant.
3) The choice of *white* Aries as the medallion figure is the only zodiac animal suitable for celestial sacrifice.
4) In the preceding Pisces and Dark Aries illustrations, corresponding in both quadrant and sphere to the striped tubs of White Aries, are tubs with scale-like patterns. This is an obscure heraldic fur known as papelonny. The structural correspondence, and the French word "pape" for pope make this look like an extended version of heraldic canting.
5) Does the number of stripes matter? No, the heraldic counting of parts comes much later.
6) What about the markings on the unpainted stripes? Has anyone found painting and hatching used in combination? The use of an invalid technique makes for an invalid objection.
7) The prolific painting of this particular zodiac page serves to hide the two tubs involved and to emphasize the 'whiteness' of White Aries.
What is hopefully clear is that there are two different ways to interpret the orientation of the blue-striped patterns of VMs White Aries - the radial way and the non-radial way. That is built into the structure. There are two options for interpretation. That is duality. The facts are that the more obvious, radial interpretation is historically insignificant (AFAIK), while the less obvious, non-radial interpretation is indicative of an important historical event in the heraldic tradition of the Catholic church. Less obvious implies a degree of disguise - not to mention a large dose of historical obscurity. Duality and disguise combined approach deception, a practitioner of visual trickery at least.
And then there's the VMs cosmic diagram - "Oresme"s" (Paris) cosmos inside of Shirakatsi's wheel based on structure. That's a good trick.
Heraldic bull:
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