John, you're entirely right about the color. My error.
Very intriguing observation about the majuscule. With the "water," it seems
that the illuminator has, so to speak, colored outside the lines. In fact, in
order to properly frame the interior pattern, I'd expect gold to fill the
narrow, pattern-filled space below the blue, horizontal bar. Perhaps the
"water" was intended to act as a border to the interior pattern after the dark
outline of the majuscule had already been finished and the pattern mistakenly
painted into the lower band? Was this a way to restore balance to the
decorative elements?
Stephen
"John B. Wickstrom" wrote:
> Looking at the image again after your comments, Stephen, I wonder if one
> should make much of the color scheme of the image echoing the foliage
> surrounding. My impression is that color is a tricky issue, and that some
> entity might be colored for effect rather than "realism" is not uncommon. .
> But I'm more interested in your observation that the image looks unfinished.
> I agree. It looks as if the artist wanted to put more beneath the existing
> image but perhaps the exigencies of the page precluded that.
> Moreover, I'm wondering what the blue majuscule "initial" is supposed to be.
> If I read the text correctly it would have to be a "V" which is surely is
> not. Also it looks to me as if the first word "Vivit" is complete in the
> text (abbreviated). So, curiouser and curiouser...
> jw
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Stephen J. Harris
> Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2001 10:19 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Image of St. Benedict
>
> It really doesn't look to me like a stream, since I don't see stylized
> waves,
> and the dark line that might be construed as a shoreline seems to curve
> anomalously around the outline of the majuscule. Also, the color of the
> "water" (even if the pigment has degraded) is reproduced on an acanthus leaf
> in the right margin and on petals as well. Your proposal represents "water"
> with the same color as the foliage, which to me seems unlikely. Finally, the
> illumination looks unfinished to me. Given the relatively realistic
> proportions of the body and the lack of anything visible below the knee, I'd
> be cautious with a claim that he is standing in water.
>
> Cheers,
> Stephen
>
> John Wickstrom wrote:
>
> > I was browsing the other day through the splendid Ecole Initiative
> > collection of saints' images when I came across the following image of
> St.
> > Benedict:
> >
> > http://www.bnf.fr/enluminures/images/jpeg/i8_0054.jpg
> >
> > Does he seem to you to be standing in water or a stream holding up his
> > garment? If so, I have never seen such an image of Benedict, nor can I
> > imagine what in his legend would suggest such an image (the text being
> > illustrated is the famous Vita of Benedict by Pope Gregory I. Anyone have
> > any ideas on this?
> > best,
> > John Wickstrom
> > Kalamazoo College
>
> --
> Stephen J. Harris
> Assistant Professor
> Department of English
> Bartlett Hall
> University of Massachusetts
> Amherst, MA 01003
>
> 413-545-6598 (fax 413-545-3880)
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bede.net/umass.html
--
Stephen J. Harris
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Bartlett Hall
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
413-545-6598 (fax 413-545-3880)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.bede.net/umass.html
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