I believe that color was of supreme symbolic/iconographical importance
in the Middle Ages, especially in mss., and not just in images. This is
a topic that could use some exploration. I'm reminded of the French
symbolist poet Rimbaud, who wrote a poem about the "color" of vowels.
Medieval Synesthesia - dissertation/book, anyone?
Kathryn Wildgen
Newcomer to the list
Professor of French
Un. of New Orleans
"Jennifer M. Lockhart" wrote:
>
> I wonder if anyone can help a neophyte to the world of manuscripts! I was
> taking a look at a bible at University of Pennslyvania, MS 286, a Paris
> bible from 1300. I noticed that there was something that looked like an
> index in the front...probably 30 pages of alphabetized Latin, with no
> illuminations. The first letter of each line was highlighted in a color
> of red or blue. The As lasted for a several pages. I though I spotted
> some proper nouns at the beginning of some lines, things like "Balaam."
> I didn't translate the Latin, but could with more time...I just happened
> to be looking at this book in another context, but was curious about this
> feature.
>
> Thanks,
> Jennifer Lockhart
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