Artistic ability of the VMs illustrator

[Koen G]

I have read before that realistic depictions (portraits) of elephants in medieval European art could almost always be linked to an event where, as you say, an actual elephant was paraded through town. So this can indeed be an explanation - although in that case I'd find it weird that someone would hide this beast in a leaf.

The image of a human figure you post looks interesting, and I admit that it bears some resemblance to Voynich figures.