9/13/2023 0 Comments Medieval illuminations grotesqueThis golden spike is sticking out of the bottom of a luxurious sort of column. We have a bald head with a beard that has been impaled at the top of his skull and through his mouth by a golden spike. There’s certainly a lot going on in this illustration. Add MS 62925 f.12v | Source: The British Library If I saw this man in real life, I’d probably avoid him!Ħ. And of course, he’s got a pretty scary look on his face. His hood is barely covering his shoulders. He’s mostly naked except for his braies (at least I think they count as braies). Everything about this guy is extremely unsettling. If this creepy looking man wasn’t here, then this detail wouldn’t classify as weird. Yates Thompson MS 14 f.7r | Source: The British Library They certainly look as though they have something stuck on their head and are trying to make sure they don’t walk into anything.ĥ. So far this is the only grotesque I’ve seen where the head is a nut! (At least I think it’s a nut.) As a side note, I love how the grotesque’s body language suggests that they are all turned around. (Other grotesques in this manuscript have the green and orange color scheme.) However, what I personally find the weirdest is their head. They seem to have the body of some kind of dog (a greyhound perhaps?), the torso of a human, and their head is maybe some kind of nut? I believe the lower part of the body is so orange to match with the general color scheme of the manuscript. This grotesque is unlike anything I’ve seen before. Add MS 29433 f.47v | Source: The British Library Either way, he certainly seems to be happy with his shell!Ĥ. He’s a strange little thing, but certainly not the strangest. Or he could also been interpreted as a tiny human living in a snail shell. Medieval people sure did love their snails! Here we have a snail with a human head. Stowe MS 17 f.8r | Source: The British Library Over all, he’s definitely one of the weirder images I’ve found so far.ģ. (At least they somewhat resemble bird feet!) Then of course, he’s holding a flower but his hands don’t seem to have fingers. That’s definitely an interesting and amusing style choice. (Look at that feather!) He has the body of a baby but has the head of a grown man. First off, he’s completely naked except for his rather fashionable hat. The longer you look at this little guy the more and more you find. This is another manuscript that’s absolutely filled with delightfully weird creatures. Here we have another grotesque from a later manuscript. Add MS 18852 f.87r | Source: The British Library While this image is certainly strange, it’s not the weirdest I’ve found.Ģ. The grotesque’s hood is definitely a very human element. (Though the artist definitely took some creative liberties by making those party’s green!) I’m not sure what kind of animal the red and white spotted body is from (if it’s from any animal at all!). My educated guess is that this creature is made up of an owl for the face/head and some kind of hoofed animal for the feet and tail. Personally, I like to try to figure out what kind of animals the artist took inspiration from when drawing their grotesques. The technical term for them is “grotesque.” Grotesques are often found in the margins. Medieval manuscripts are filled with little monsters that are combinations of animals and humans. (A great source for weirdness!) I find him extremely endearing. This little guy I found in the Luttrell Psalter. Add MS 42130 f.13v | Source: The British Library (After all, it’s a lot of fun to sift through manuscripts and find a weird thing you absolutely were NOT expecting!) I will also be rating these images on a scale of 1 to 10 on how weird I personally find them.ġ. Today I want to share with you some of these images so you too can have some of the delight I’ve had while finding these. During my searches, I’ve stumbled upon a lot of weird and strange things drawn in the margins. Since late June, I’ve been running an Instagram where I share images I’ve found in medieval manuscripts. I’m not really a list making sort of guy, but today I wanted to do something a little different.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |