22-12-2025, 11:27 AM
(This post was last modified: 22-12-2025, 11:29 AM by Jorge_Stolfi.)
Page f70v1 (Aries) to a Superior Pareidologist is LSD to a schizophrenic:
This image shows the whole diagram on page f70v1, assumed to be the first (Dark) half of the Aries sign.
This false-color RGB image was derived from the Lazarus Team 2016 multi-spectral scans by using the 870 nm infrared (011), 700 nm infrared (008), and 365 nm ultraviolet (007) as the red, green, and blue channels, respectively. The samples in each channel were linearly scaled with factors chosen to make the vellum nearly light gray. No other processing was applied.
This page shows at least four and maybe six layers of ink writing and drawing, not counting the month name at the center. They can be distinguished by the hue of the ink in these images. Basically, ink that looks yellow here absorbs UV but is mostly transparent in both IR wavelengths; ink that looks red absorbs UV and 700 nm IR but is mostly transparent for 870 nm IR. Ink that looks brown or black absorbs all wavelengths to significant amounts.
The original traces (Rt0) are few and very faint yellow. They include the thinnest and smoothest parts of the circles, that were drawn with a compass, and some "ghost" traces on the nymph outlines. The general restoration pass (Rt1) has wider traces of a stronger yellow. Then there were maybe two distinct passes that retraced most of the text: Rt2 with orange-brown ink, and Rt3 with slightly darker ink. A single word in the inner text, at 12:00, seems to be in an even darker ink (Rt4). And finally there are the interventions of the so-called Boobs Retracer (Rt5), with a reddish orange color. (All these color specs refer to this false-color image, not to the actual colors of the physical book.) Besides the characteristic focus on certain details of the nymphs' anatomy, Rt5 also added details to the dresses, such as collars and cuffs.
As usual, the assignment of each detail to one of these passes is uncertain because the thickness of the ink in the trace can affect its apparent hue. In fact, layers Rt3 and Rt4 may well be a single pass. The ink of the month's name here looks similar to the Rt2 ink, but may be yet another separate layer (RtX). Beware that traces change color when they are covered by paint, including the light yellow one used on the hair of some nymphs and in the star cores.
Some parts of the circles were retraced freehand by Rt2, who also seems to have retraced the goat's outline. The ground under the goat, however, seem to be Rt1. The nymphs in the outer band between 06:30 and 09:30 are in Rt1 ink with Rt5 touches. The other nymphs are Rt2 with Rt5 touches. All five layers Rt0-Rt4 occur on the text rings and labels.
More detailed annotations of a few individual nymphs will be posted later.
All the best, --stolfi
This image shows the whole diagram on page f70v1, assumed to be the first (Dark) half of the Aries sign.
This false-color RGB image was derived from the Lazarus Team 2016 multi-spectral scans by using the 870 nm infrared (011), 700 nm infrared (008), and 365 nm ultraviolet (007) as the red, green, and blue channels, respectively. The samples in each channel were linearly scaled with factors chosen to make the vellum nearly light gray. No other processing was applied.
This page shows at least four and maybe six layers of ink writing and drawing, not counting the month name at the center. They can be distinguished by the hue of the ink in these images. Basically, ink that looks yellow here absorbs UV but is mostly transparent in both IR wavelengths; ink that looks red absorbs UV and 700 nm IR but is mostly transparent for 870 nm IR. Ink that looks brown or black absorbs all wavelengths to significant amounts.
The original traces (Rt0) are few and very faint yellow. They include the thinnest and smoothest parts of the circles, that were drawn with a compass, and some "ghost" traces on the nymph outlines. The general restoration pass (Rt1) has wider traces of a stronger yellow. Then there were maybe two distinct passes that retraced most of the text: Rt2 with orange-brown ink, and Rt3 with slightly darker ink. A single word in the inner text, at 12:00, seems to be in an even darker ink (Rt4). And finally there are the interventions of the so-called Boobs Retracer (Rt5), with a reddish orange color. (All these color specs refer to this false-color image, not to the actual colors of the physical book.) Besides the characteristic focus on certain details of the nymphs' anatomy, Rt5 also added details to the dresses, such as collars and cuffs.
As usual, the assignment of each detail to one of these passes is uncertain because the thickness of the ink in the trace can affect its apparent hue. In fact, layers Rt3 and Rt4 may well be a single pass. The ink of the month's name here looks similar to the Rt2 ink, but may be yet another separate layer (RtX). Beware that traces change color when they are covered by paint, including the light yellow one used on the hair of some nymphs and in the star cores.
Some parts of the circles were retraced freehand by Rt2, who also seems to have retraced the goat's outline. The ground under the goat, however, seem to be Rt1. The nymphs in the outer band between 06:30 and 09:30 are in Rt1 ink with Rt5 touches. The other nymphs are Rt2 with Rt5 touches. All five layers Rt0-Rt4 occur on the text rings and labels.
More detailed annotations of a few individual nymphs will be posted later.
All the best, --stolfi