Historical persons in VMs

[R. Sale]

The one on the right is certainly meant as a woman.

First of all, once the possibility of the Fieschi connection to church tradition is recognized, it is clear that the radial structure has been put in place as a 'cloaking device'. The VMs artist is clearly willing to use disguise, deception, and ambiguity to obfuscate the intended identification here, as well as the cosmos, mermaid, etc. So, there is always the possibility of intentional trickery.

There are indications that the figure was originally inked "as female" - meaning "having breasts and assumed to be female". Then the figure's arms and torso were painted red. Enter good old VMs ambiguity. Does the red paint on the figure represent clothing? Is the figure clothed or naked?

I know nothing of the personal appearance of Ottobuono Fieschi. Was he a tall man or a short man? A thin man or overweight? There is a condition among overweight men called gynecomastia. So, if the figure is clothed, how can one tell the difference? There is potential ambiguity regarding the figure's gender.

The gender determination is not that relevant. It is the heraldic elements that make the historical identification, if the investigator can make the historical recognition and connection to the Fieschi popes. Then the historical identification is further validated by four independent, objective, structural confirmations.