Alchemical Symbolism in the VMS

[Barbrey]

Something along a more classical line. Just treating nymphs as nymphs, more or less. Nine nymphs in a tub might equate with the nine Muses. While the VMs presents examples of various numerical gatherings of nymphs, there is an independent secondary indicator to be found in the arcaded pattern on the side of the tub.

There is only that one VMs example of this pattern. It is partial and set back in a secondary position. What else can be done to disguise it? It can't be there and not there at the same time. It corresponds with the representation of the Muses and their arcaded tub in the Christine de Pizan illustration with Pegasus.

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Some of VMs artistry operates on a system of validation based on pairing. Pairing is derived from the duplicate laws of Deuteronomy. The pairing for the Muses in the VMs is found in the nine Nymphs of Abacus in the tub of 16 on f81v.

There is a certain sense of humor, a certain sophistication or a bit of trickery to be found in other VMs illustrations from the cosmos to the Zodiac sequence, to costmary or the mermaid Melusine. The VMs artist goes beyond disguise to include duality and deception. There's a puzzle to be solved. The path is marked by pairing.