16-07-2022, 05:06 PM
(16-07-2022, 02:26 PM)MarcoP wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.The manuscript has been carbon dated to 1404-1438. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. let us know that a medieval costumes expert (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. from the Morgan Library) dated the costumes of Virgo and Sagittarius to the 1420’s.The way I understand is that the VM could not be created earlier than 1404, but the 1438 is not fixed; it only means that the animal used for parchment was killed by then. Is it possible that it was created 20 years later? I suppose the monasteries could have had a supply of old parchment.
Also, the attire of Virgo and Sagittarius does not necessarily represent the mid-15th century fashion. The female in Virgo looks like Barbara of Celje, portrayed before 1409 by Bavarian artist Konrad Kyeser in his Bellafortes, except that on that picture she is on the horse and facing the opposite way. But she is holding a star on the flag. The picture was made while he was in Prague. Sigismund was engaged to Barbara in 1405, while he was King of Hungary (and also the region where I believe the VM was created).
The VM was created at the time when Sigismund was the Emperor and Barbara was already dead. If he was writing in Slovenian, he would also have a respect for her, who was a well educated woman and great alchemist. Koen suggested that the Gemini represents 'the Twins getting married'. This is probably what the author of the VM wanted to portray: a couple that is a complete opposite. The female in Gemini also has similar attire. This is suggestive that the author had a particular person and particular couple in mind.
If the Author of the VM would try to portray Barbara, he could have copied Kyeser's picture - a youthful face, flowy blue dress, yellow hair with blue head-covering.