11-03-2026, 12:21 AM
After such a long hiatus, there are a few developments you may have missed. The cosmic comparison would be one I recommend. VMs f68v3 with BNF Fr. 565 and Harley 334. There is a basic form of cosmic structure, obvious in BNF and Harley, but also found in the VMs. A simplified, three-part cosmos without planets or planetary spheres, for starters. There is good provenance for BNF and Harley. Harley has a generic mermaid and 'four' fishy companions. And there are the 43 undulations from BNF that the VMs artist had to squeeze in when they got back to 10 o'clock. That's amazing and amusing, the need to hit 43.
So, the VMs representation is very much reflective of the structural aspects of the two historical images. Yet the VMs image, starting with the vords that replace the pictorial elements of Earth, has a totally altered appearance. It is the same cosmos, structurally - isn't it? It was just made to look different. That age-old, philosophical discussion contrasting appearance and reality.
Perhaps the artist knew the Oresme image but made alterations for the purpose of disguise. What you want to interpret as ineptitude might rather be examples of intentional trickery. The differences may be hard to demonstrate; it's the repetitious use of trickery that is more revealing. [Shirakatsi's wheel, Melusine, White Aries, the Agnus Dei, the half-arcaded tub (Muses)]
So, the VMs representation is very much reflective of the structural aspects of the two historical images. Yet the VMs image, starting with the vords that replace the pictorial elements of Earth, has a totally altered appearance. It is the same cosmos, structurally - isn't it? It was just made to look different. That age-old, philosophical discussion contrasting appearance and reality.
Perhaps the artist knew the Oresme image but made alterations for the purpose of disguise. What you want to interpret as ineptitude might rather be examples of intentional trickery. The differences may be hard to demonstrate; it's the repetitious use of trickery that is more revealing. [Shirakatsi's wheel, Melusine, White Aries, the Agnus Dei, the half-arcaded tub (Muses)]