30-12-2021, 01:08 AM
Hmm. A problem with this kind of question is that an answer will often be "my theory is x, therefore the nymphs' gender is relevant/irrelevant".
I'm personally leaning towards the female form as the "generic" shape, which is sometimes deviated from in marked cases. For example in q13b (pool pages) and many areas of the Zodiac pages, whole series of generic nymphs seem to have come straight from some defective nymph factory. I don't think anyone can argue that all of these figures represent distinct individuals. This could be an argument in favor of a standard form, which happens to be female.
I wouldn't call it irrelevant though. If they represent stellae or animae, their gender is intentional and relevant. If they represent actual members of some sisterhood, their gender is also intentional and relevant. I'm having a hard time coming up with situations where the gender of the figures is irrelevant.
An obvious example of a marked case is the pair top right on a q13a page, where the man, dressed, walks behind a long-haired young woman. Her hands are crossed behind her back as if bound, and she is holding a spindle. These figures clearly rise above the generic, so the factory standard model is abandoned.
I'm personally leaning towards the female form as the "generic" shape, which is sometimes deviated from in marked cases. For example in q13b (pool pages) and many areas of the Zodiac pages, whole series of generic nymphs seem to have come straight from some defective nymph factory. I don't think anyone can argue that all of these figures represent distinct individuals. This could be an argument in favor of a standard form, which happens to be female.
I wouldn't call it irrelevant though. If they represent stellae or animae, their gender is intentional and relevant. If they represent actual members of some sisterhood, their gender is also intentional and relevant. I'm having a hard time coming up with situations where the gender of the figures is irrelevant.
An obvious example of a marked case is the pair top right on a q13a page, where the man, dressed, walks behind a long-haired young woman. Her hands are crossed behind her back as if bound, and she is holding a spindle. These figures clearly rise above the generic, so the factory standard model is abandoned.