03-10-2020, 07:04 PM
Here's another thought. From the perspective of the early to mid-1400s, take as many fish related stories and images as you can gather, sort out the common factors, (e.g. Melusine changing form vs. Jonah being swallowed or disgorged), combine them in an illustration that is intentionally ambiguous and not displaying a high level of artistic skill. And what do you get?
Now take that illustration to the streets of Dijon (etc.) and ask the average man or woman in a country where the ruling family has for three generations claimed to be descended from Melusine what the image might represent. Will their answer be generic or specific? It seems reasonable to me that any person of that era, who has any knowledge or past and present Burgundian tradition, will be familiar with the royal propaganda. Apply the same test to the image on f. 57 of Harley 334. Whether Burgundian or French there is still a Valois connection and still a connection to Melusine.
Representing a mermaid is reasonable because there are many unnamed mermaids. Having a Melusine is like have *a* Zeus or having *a* King Arthur. How many are there??? There are multiple myths, but, at least in theory, they are based on a specific, singular, named personification.
Now take that illustration to the streets of Dijon (etc.) and ask the average man or woman in a country where the ruling family has for three generations claimed to be descended from Melusine what the image might represent. Will their answer be generic or specific? It seems reasonable to me that any person of that era, who has any knowledge or past and present Burgundian tradition, will be familiar with the royal propaganda. Apply the same test to the image on f. 57 of Harley 334. Whether Burgundian or French there is still a Valois connection and still a connection to Melusine.
Representing a mermaid is reasonable because there are many unnamed mermaids. Having a Melusine is like have *a* Zeus or having *a* King Arthur. How many are there??? There are multiple myths, but, at least in theory, they are based on a specific, singular, named personification.