Now I see why some of these plants remind me of Dioscorides. It's the threedimensionality of the full-page plants and the shading (which also relates to the images becoming less "flat").
On the left is You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., an early 15th century copy of the ancient Juliana Anicia Codex. Middle VM plant. Right Riccardiana 2174 f28r.
Of the Dioscorides plant, we didn't quite know what it was for certain, but one of the options was Tormentilla, like the Riccardiana plant. The latter may have been taken from the Tractatus de Herbis, of which see examples here: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. . Especially You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. appears similar, with the three stalks and dense flowers at the top.
I find it fascinating to compare the art style of all these examples. Those based directly on Greek exemplars or harkening back to classical art (usually later than the early 15th century) use shading, leaves layered behind other ones, twigs bending in a more natural, non-schematic way, attempting to explore depth. Fully medieval illustrations tend to be flattened, often more schematic.
The Voynich plant belongs to the first category but the attempts at shading are very rudimentary and it appears to me that the painter did not fully understand how to achieve the desired effects (or those found in the exemplar).
On the left is You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., an early 15th century copy of the ancient Juliana Anicia Codex. Middle VM plant. Right Riccardiana 2174 f28r.
Of the Dioscorides plant, we didn't quite know what it was for certain, but one of the options was Tormentilla, like the Riccardiana plant. The latter may have been taken from the Tractatus de Herbis, of which see examples here: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. . Especially You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. appears similar, with the three stalks and dense flowers at the top.
I find it fascinating to compare the art style of all these examples. Those based directly on Greek exemplars or harkening back to classical art (usually later than the early 15th century) use shading, leaves layered behind other ones, twigs bending in a more natural, non-schematic way, attempting to explore depth. Fully medieval illustrations tend to be flattened, often more schematic.
The Voynich plant belongs to the first category but the attempts at shading are very rudimentary and it appears to me that the painter did not fully understand how to achieve the desired effects (or those found in the exemplar).
![[+]](https://www.voynich.ninja/images/collapse_collapsed.png)