[Blog Post] Circular text-framed zodiacs limited to 200km radius...

[DG97EEB]

I deleted my earlier post, but we know these images are principally German.. but not exclusively. There are English manuscripts with the same.. This only becomes interesting if we identify a named illustrator

I think it's not so much the zodiac style, but rather the thick bar around the medallion with inserted text. Medallions are common of course, and the thick bar is semi-common in that strasbourg-austria band, but finding text within the circles similar to the VMS is actually very rare.

I can see that.. but the point remains.. it's all quite interesting until it becomes very interesting.. but it's a thread worth pulling, i agree

[Koen G]

Just had another look. An almost exact copy of the work you show in CGM 595 is also found in: 
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1440-1460AD, 
Germany S, Swabia? (Based on swabian dialect)

Preceded by some pages of Philo of Byzantium's treatise on pneumatic and hydraulic machines.

[R. Sale]

I'd say there is a noteworthy difference between "der Stier" and a text segment that manages to make it *all the way around.* As originally posted, circular text used in zodiac illustrations is relevant to the VMs.

Perhaps the presence of circular text should be added to the Zodiac evaluations for one point if it goes around and half if it's labeled.

This is yet another example of information used by the VMs artist that demonstrates the great variety of historical influences tucked away in the artwork and needs to be more fully recognized and explored for further evidence of time and place.

[eggyk]

I'd say there is a noteworthy difference between "der Stier" and a text segment that manages to make it *all the way around.* As originally posted, circular text used in zodiac illustrations is relevant to the VMs.

Perhaps the presence of circular text should be added to the Zodiac evaluations for one point if it goes around and half if it's labeled.

This is yet another example of information used by the VMs artist that demonstrates the great variety of historical influences tucked away in the artwork and needs to be more fully recognized and explored for further evidence of time and place.

I 100% agree that it's worth tracking. 

For the time being, i've re-ordered the existing examples together in the main list and binded them together visually via the "other" and "notes" columns. I might have a look into potentially adding scores to the overall sequences as well.

[SherriMM]

Quick update to show the now seven manuscripts and some of the overlap. 

• Two MS linked to the Augsburg monastery of St. Ulrich and Afra, of having ownership. Writer of third also linked to Augsburg. A fourth MS linked to a different monastery. 
  
• Two MS contain versions of Secretum Secretorum
  
• Two MS contain Von de sieben Planeten, followed by 48 constellations
  
• Two MS contain work by Philo of Byzantium
  
• Three MS have Swabian dialect of German, all have some Latin
   
  

Yes, Munich BSB Cgm 595 (and Pal.Lat.1369) are more 'label' than verse but I'm hesitant to remove from the group just yet as there's so much overlap. Looking for more shared sources, connections and translations. Thanks all!

   

[R. Sale]

The examples in Post #5 are uncommon versions where the text goes all the way around the band. This presents the particular problem of where does the text start. Here the matter is easily solved by a standard rubric indicator.

The VMs has a good bit of circular text and text in circular bands. A lot of this text is attributed to Hand 4. This is the section most in need of investigation, but it is too often omitted.

Finding a starting place in the circular bands of VMs text can be quite difficult or quite obvious, depending on the specific presentation. Professor Stolfi went through them long ago. The three most elaborate markers are found in the Zodiac sequence, two on White Aries and one in Cancer. If the idea for circular text bands is Austrian, then the design for the more elaborate patterned markers seems to derive from the French background wallpaper.

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