No text, but a visual code

[Antonio García Jiménez]

The only way to progress in the interpretation of the VM is to compare it with works of its time. Let's see a great contemporary work of art: The Wilton Diptych.

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We see among the saints that accompany King Ricardo Eduardo the confessor with his attribute the ring that identifies him. The ring has a sapphire.

In the VM we see two female figures with a ring with a precious stone in You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. and f80v. Comparing the drawing with the Wilton diptych there is no doubt that it is about rings with precious stones.

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How do we interpret this? For me there is no doubt. It is about showing with two examples the brightness of the stars. Other elements carried by the figures point to the same interpretation: they are the fixed stars.

But let's look at the right side of the diptych. Both the Virgin and the angels share the same face. There is hardly any variety. It is about showing that they are not beings of this world. Except for some exceptions in the faces of the female figures, there is no variety in the VM either. The artist has drawn a model and repeats it and repeats it. It is a way of alluding to the fact that they are not beings of this world either.