Flower recycling

[Koen G]

Not related to anything, I just found this strange. Does this mean they used a template?  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. vs You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
   

[-JKP-]

I've wondered about that for a while.


They definitely used a formula for the faces. From looking at thousands of manuscripts, it becomes evident that hat's how many of them were taught to draw so they could do it quickly—a certain sequence, for example, cheek, jaw, forehead, nose, skull... then add eyes, ears, nose and other details.

The drawing of flowers could be systemized to some extent, as well. The morning glory family has a certain kind of petal, the daisy family has a certain kind of petal, etc.

But even though the petals are drawn the same, these flowers are not identical from a botanical point of view:

• The flower on the left has little bumps on the calyx that were carefully painted a different color from the rest of the calyx.
  
• The one on the right has a different kind of calyx, a slightly different shape and more "woody" (the thicker kind compared to the thinner kind). Plus the one on the left doesn't have the little "shelf" on the calyx as one sees on some plants and which was added on the right.
  
• The left one doesn't have the extended pistil and is painted a different color (although I don't fully trust VMS flower colors as much as the leaves).
  

There was an effort to individualize key features, even if the petals are drawn the same. The plants do not appear to be the same species.



When the shape of the petals is the same, as they are in many species (look at how similar many daisy and sunflower plants look), often the calyx and leaves are used to distinguish one from another.

[Koen G]

True, there are certainly differences. Still, this base pattern appears elsewhere as well.  You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.
   

Here the calyx is larger compared to the flower, but it does have the hairy protrusion like in the lily.

[-JKP-]

It would be pretty easy for a hairy pistil to have a symbol meaning. It looks like so many things... torch, sponge-on-stick, Q-tip (joking), phallic symbol (well not quite, but it's a pretty generic shape).