My turn. It's simple. After Ellie posted the comparison of the VMs illustration with that of the d' Oresme cosmos - (quite convincing), and whenever it was, after that I read her work and looked at the two representation, it occurred to me, because I had been investigating heraldry, that the outer line of the circle in the VMs example is a nebuly line according to standard heraldic tradition dating well before VMs parchment dates.
I put a name on it and I posted it. No big deal. I also found a few examples of nebuly lines in the leaves of the botanical section and all over the place in Quire 13. Don discovered an excellent example of a much more elaborate type of nebuly line in the VMs central rosette. Elaborate meaning that the individual waves and troughs have multiple little bumps on each one, sometimes a sort of head-and-shoulders effect, instead of the single smooth bulb of the standard definition.
While the intent of the two illustrations appears to be copacetic, the level of artistic skill in d' Oresme is far superior. Particularly in the cosmic boundary, where the VMs shows only a basic version of the line. The level of detail in d' Oresme invites an almost immediate comparison with Christine de Pizan's "Book of the Queen". Don discovered the examples of the Apocalypse Tapestry and was off like a hound on a scent to compile his file of photos.
I'll bet this Basel illustration is a new one. Looking at the illustration on 167r, this is definitely a highly elaborated type of nebuly line. In the lower right there is a second set of arches, and multiple bumps for each wave and trough.
Nebuly lines are relevant to VMs investigation because the author shows a penchant for their use. There are a host of examples where nebuly line are not used, but in the VMs, there they are.
In the d' Oresme example, the nebuly line / cloud band is used to designate a sort of cosmic boundary. However more illustrations are found where this boundary is associated with the manifestation of divinity, both classical and Christian. And not all manifestations are of the regularly patterned, nebuly / cloudy sort, painted in blue and white. Some are of the fiery, solar sort, using indented and rayonny heraldic lines and colored red, orange, gold and yellow to match, like the Bedford Master example. Others examples use clouds that are more natural and irregular. They lack the repeating structure. And many artists omit this technique altogether.
One weakness in the d' Oresme comparison is the visual distinction between the plain nebuly line of the VMs depiction and the elaborate boundary line of d' Oresme's cosmos. This might even lead some to see this comparison as slightly more tenuous than otherwise. But here's the trick. The author can do a really good job at making an elaborated version of a nebuly line. The band around the central rosette is great example. Imagine if the VMs artist had used that elaborate cloud band for this VMs version of the cosmos instead of a plain nebuly line.
However, that is not what the VMs provides, for whatever reason. It's hard to keep secrets with all the cards face up on the table, all illustrations plainly there. Some trickery is required. Where there is a reality that is glaringly obvious, adjustments have been made to disguise, but not to deny identity. Blue stripes cannot be red.
Perhaps the author then relies on the intelligence of the reader to know that a nebuly line in the one illustration and another version of a nebuly line in the second case are really two representations of the same thing, if that reader ever knew a nebuly line in the first place, and then consider whether those lines were interchangeable. And, if so, how much might that increase the visual correspondence of the original comparison? And how will that affect further VMs investigation? Nebuly lines may still have more to tell us.
I put a name on it and I posted it. No big deal. I also found a few examples of nebuly lines in the leaves of the botanical section and all over the place in Quire 13. Don discovered an excellent example of a much more elaborate type of nebuly line in the VMs central rosette. Elaborate meaning that the individual waves and troughs have multiple little bumps on each one, sometimes a sort of head-and-shoulders effect, instead of the single smooth bulb of the standard definition.
While the intent of the two illustrations appears to be copacetic, the level of artistic skill in d' Oresme is far superior. Particularly in the cosmic boundary, where the VMs shows only a basic version of the line. The level of detail in d' Oresme invites an almost immediate comparison with Christine de Pizan's "Book of the Queen". Don discovered the examples of the Apocalypse Tapestry and was off like a hound on a scent to compile his file of photos.
I'll bet this Basel illustration is a new one. Looking at the illustration on 167r, this is definitely a highly elaborated type of nebuly line. In the lower right there is a second set of arches, and multiple bumps for each wave and trough.
Nebuly lines are relevant to VMs investigation because the author shows a penchant for their use. There are a host of examples where nebuly line are not used, but in the VMs, there they are.
In the d' Oresme example, the nebuly line / cloud band is used to designate a sort of cosmic boundary. However more illustrations are found where this boundary is associated with the manifestation of divinity, both classical and Christian. And not all manifestations are of the regularly patterned, nebuly / cloudy sort, painted in blue and white. Some are of the fiery, solar sort, using indented and rayonny heraldic lines and colored red, orange, gold and yellow to match, like the Bedford Master example. Others examples use clouds that are more natural and irregular. They lack the repeating structure. And many artists omit this technique altogether.
One weakness in the d' Oresme comparison is the visual distinction between the plain nebuly line of the VMs depiction and the elaborate boundary line of d' Oresme's cosmos. This might even lead some to see this comparison as slightly more tenuous than otherwise. But here's the trick. The author can do a really good job at making an elaborated version of a nebuly line. The band around the central rosette is great example. Imagine if the VMs artist had used that elaborate cloud band for this VMs version of the cosmos instead of a plain nebuly line.
However, that is not what the VMs provides, for whatever reason. It's hard to keep secrets with all the cards face up on the table, all illustrations plainly there. Some trickery is required. Where there is a reality that is glaringly obvious, adjustments have been made to disguise, but not to deny identity. Blue stripes cannot be red.
Perhaps the author then relies on the intelligence of the reader to know that a nebuly line in the one illustration and another version of a nebuly line in the second case are really two representations of the same thing, if that reader ever knew a nebuly line in the first place, and then consider whether those lines were interchangeable. And, if so, how much might that increase the visual correspondence of the original comparison? And how will that affect further VMs investigation? Nebuly lines may still have more to tell us.