20-08-2017, 01:00 AM
Not really, three-quarter views are pretty standard in European medieval manuscripts. Three-quarters tends to be preferred over head-on in manuscript illumination, in general. Noses are just easier to draw that way than head-on, especially when you have limited space/tools/time/skills, and I suspect this has always played a rather large part in that!
And keep in mind that there are more faces than just the nymphs: there are the sun/moon ones, as well as the faces in plant roots, and again, none show a profile view.
Deviations are possible, of course, as in the case of the figures depicted from the back: in this case I suspect this does bear rather specific clues about the artist's inspiration. The tradition to which the Rothschild Canticles belong (mentioned by ReneZ You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. ) is a very interesting candidate.
But in the case of tendrilface, if you wanted to establish any probability that it is intentional, you'd have to find at least one example of a face made of tendrils or other plant parts, and as far as I know, there are none that pre-date the Voynich. I may be wrong, but it will be up to you to find them, if they exist.
And keep in mind that there are more faces than just the nymphs: there are the sun/moon ones, as well as the faces in plant roots, and again, none show a profile view.
Deviations are possible, of course, as in the case of the figures depicted from the back: in this case I suspect this does bear rather specific clues about the artist's inspiration. The tradition to which the Rothschild Canticles belong (mentioned by ReneZ You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. ) is a very interesting candidate.
But in the case of tendrilface, if you wanted to establish any probability that it is intentional, you'd have to find at least one example of a face made of tendrils or other plant parts, and as far as I know, there are none that pre-date the Voynich. I may be wrong, but it will be up to you to find them, if they exist.