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)
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