The Voynich Ninja

I came across the minatura de Toxos-Outos from the Archivo histórico nacional in Madrid. It dates from around 1250 (not sure of the exact date), and represents King Alfonso X, Queen Violante and their son the Infante Fernando de la Cerda.

I was mainly intrigued by the facial similarities between this minature and the VM nymphs.

Note the simple strong penmark for the face which does not show the closest cheek (admittedly many of the nymphs have no chin, but bear in the mind the small size of the image - larger ones often do), the sharp nose with eye and strong eyebrows. The same method is used to draw the face of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. in the VM. Note also the simple hands without thumbs and long joined fingers. The inclined head which nonetheless displays the full face to the viewer in a somewhat distorted manner (there is no attempt at perspective here).

Obviously I'm not connecting the two illustrators. However, I have seen other examples in the same fashion from other northern Spanish (mainly Galician) artefacts of the 13th century. This one by another unknown Galician artist from the same time period, for example:

Showing Diego Gelmírez teaching at university.

I haven't seen this style elsewhere in Europe, can anyone draw my attention to a similar artistic style? When looking at other works from elsewhere in Spain for the same period, I see a very different style of illustration - clearly defined head, usually facing directly towards viewer, etc.

I find it interesting that this type of imagery appears around the time of Alfonso X, and I think there's certainly the beginnings of a case here to suggest that the VM scribe may have seen these images.

David,
I'm sorry you received no response. The red roses in the cheeks are certainly one of the characteristics of southern and Byzantine-influenced traditions in art.

I have also found details in southern manuscripts - including the Cervera Bible - which are remarkably like ones in Beinecke MS 408.

The possibility that the manuscript contains matter gained from Iberia or more generally the 'south' has often been raised, and argued.  Marco Ponzi or Darren Worley did some very interesting work on the astronomical folios a while ago, again suggesting Spain and the time of Alfonzo 'il Sabio'.

Even in the month-names have been argued a form of Judeo-Spanish rather than Occitan.

Unfortunately, until someone decides to concentrate on gathering and evaluating the evidence for these un-examined  leads, we'll never have a balanced view of what the manuscript contains.

The rosy cheeks are not uncommon.

I haven't had time to map them, which is a pity because it might be informative, but I've collected more than 300 examples from a variety of areas.