The nymphs are possibly inspired from Dante manuscripts

[DG97EEB]

As for the background of the artist, one potential (of several) ideas I like is that he may have travelled as a student, as many did.

I like "student hypothesis" and some time ago suggested it could be a student (or a group of students) but a "naughty" one, someone in a style of goliards or clerici vagantes who travelled a lot, had poor grades at school but was street-smart :

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Yes, this is my current number one theory as well.. whilst there's no evidence of a Capstone project at Padua during this time, there is a lot of evidence for students collaborating and copying Manuscripts, so I see it as quite likely.  But I've not yet found the smoking gun.. just a lot that points in that direction..