Re: VMs: Faces at the roots

[Luis Velez <luis.velez@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wayne,

I was really thinking more of this particular image in reference to the  
small faces at the split roots in f33:

http://www.istitutodatini.it/biblio/images/en/riccard/2174/

Your point is very interesting, regarding the labels/nulloes  
hypothesis. I'd like to see what comments Nick may have, considering  
that he has spent some time on the subject of numeric codes.

My particular interest in all these artistic similarities with the VMS  
is in tracing the actual herbal style that inspired the VMS  
illustrations.

This depiction of "scorza di mandragola", for example, includes a  
little animal:
http://www.istitutodatini.it/biblio/images/en/riccard/2174/dida/96r.htm

and this one (of a small rooster):
http://www.istitutodatini.it/biblio/images/en/riccard/2174/dida/48r.htm

reminding us of the little dragon-like creature by the root of VMS's  
f26r.

Was it common in XV century herbals to include little symbolic animals  
by the roots of certain plants?

Was this an exclusively Italian feature? I don't recall seeing it in  
English, French or
German herbals of the same period.

In the case of the erbario fiorentino, this "erba luccia":
http://www.istitutodatini.it/biblio/images/en/riccard/2174/dida/14v.htm

almost matches this one, from a different erbario (in Genoa):
http://www.bibliotecauniversitaria.ge.it/bug/export/pics/fondi/ 
image015.gif

pointing to a possible common source of inspiration for the artists of  
both herbals.

Luis



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