A deer with ten antlers, representing the ten commandments Henri de Ferrieres, Book of King Modus and Queen Ratio (c1420)
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A deer with ten antlers, representing the ten commandments

Henri de Ferrieres, Book of King Modus and Queen Ratio (c1420)

image: Bible historiale commissioned by Jean Vaudetar, The Hague, Museum Meermanno-Westreenianum Scholars have long noted the innovations in this miniature in the representation of space and the creation of an individualized as opposed to conventionalized portrait. The miniature has a plausible sense of space with what has been characterized as a diaphragm arch marking the entrance into the space and the shaded green floor which recedes as a groundplane into depth. The foreshortening of the canopy over the head of Charles V further creates a sense of space under which Charles sits. Comparably the faces of Charles and Vaudetar show strong individualization. Charles’s long nose, thin face, and high cheekbones are all comparatively consistent in his portraits and conform to literary descriptions of his features. Even the detail of Charles holding a glove in his right hand might be a personal reference. Charles is known to have worn a glove to relieve the effects of gout. He has apparently taken off this glove to examine the book.The portrait of Vaudetar likewise gives the impression of individualization. Charles V (Vaudetar was Charles’ valet)
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image: Bible historiale commissioned by Jean Vaudetar, The Hague, Museum Meermanno-Westreenianum

Scholars have long noted the innovations in this miniature in the representation of space and the creation of an individualized as opposed to conventionalized portrait. The miniature has a plausible sense of space with what has been characterized as a diaphragm arch marking the entrance into the space and the shaded green floor which recedes as a groundplane into depth. The foreshortening of the canopy over the head of Charles V further creates a sense of space under which Charles sits.

Comparably the faces of Charles and Vaudetar show strong individualization. Charles’s long nose, thin face, and high cheekbones are all comparatively consistent in his portraits and conform to literary descriptions of his features. Even the detail of Charles holding a glove in his right hand might be a personal reference. Charles is known to have worn a glove to relieve the effects of gout. He has apparently taken off this glove to examine the book.The portrait of Vaudetar likewise gives the impression of individualization.

Charles V

(Vaudetar was Charles’ valet)

Source: oneonta.edu

Flowers from The Unicorn in Captivity tapestry

The abundance of plants and flowers in the Unicorn Tapestries express the artist’s delight in nature. They brought the enchantment of springtime into the bleak castles in which the tapestries originally hung. But to the medieval viewer, these plants would have been meaningful, as well as beautiful. They were used for all kinds of cures, from stomachache to baldness. In the Unicorn Tapestries, however, most of the plants are included for their symbolism.

Each plant is shown in its prime, although they actually blossom in different seasons. Nevertheless, they are depicted with such accuracy that nearly all of them have been identified.

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You can view the entire tapestry here

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Stock-gilliflower
Mathiola incana

In the Middle Ages these sweet-smelling flowers might have symbolized purity and love and perhaps they were thought to help make a woman fruitful.

Bistort
Polygonum bistorta

In the Middle Ages powdered bistort and aromatic spices were supposed to help a woman conceive. Bistort also supposedly healed wounds, stopped vomiting, and acted as a diuretic.

Wild orchid, male orchid
Orchis mascula

In the Middle Ages the wild orchid’s roots, distilled or sodden in goat’s milk or wine, was supposed to be a powerful aphrodisiac for both men and women. It was also believed that if a man ate the larger part of an orchid’s root, he was supposed to beget a male child; the lesser part would help create girls.

Cuckoo-pint
Arum maculatum

This plant was thought to attack poison and to drive away melancholy and reptiles in the Middle Ages. Boiled in wine, oil, and cumin and made into a plaster, the cuckoo-pint was used to relieve swellings. Its powdered root in evaporated rosewater was supposed to help the complexion. The cuckoo-pint also treated chest complaints and, when applied with fresh ox dung, gout.

Carnation, clove pink
Dianthus caryophyllus

Imported from Tunis into Europe in 1270, the short-lived perennial carnation with its long-lasting spicy flowers came to symbolize earthly and divine love, betrothal and marriage, Christ and the Virgin.

Saint Mary’s thistle, holy thistle, milk thistle
Silybum marianum

This prickly thistle was identified with the Virgin Mary. In the Middle Ages the boiled root of any wild thistle was thought to help beget male children. It also treated serpent bites, burns, ulcers, skin disease, sciatica, bleeding, baldness, and toothaches.

Madonna lily
Lilium candidum

Because the Madonna lily’s exterior is white, it was symbolic of the Virgin Mary’s purity in the Middle Ages; because inside it is gold, it stood for the Christ she bore. The lily, with its white, perfumed summer flowers, also stood for faithfulness in love and marriage. The lily treated burns, ulcers, and ear and breathing problems. It was also used to combat the poison of serpents and to test the virginity of a girl. It was also believed that when a pregnant woman was presented with a lily and a rose, if she chose the lily, she was supposed to bear a boy; if she took the rose, she would have a girl.

Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale

This hardy plant was one of the bitter herbs used by the Jews for the Seder. For Christians, it came to symbolize the Passion of Christ, which started with the Seder, or Last Supper.

Columbine
Aquilegia vulgaris

Because of its shape, which resembles four doves, this plant was known as columbine in the Middle Ages (columba means “dove” in Latin). With its seven blooms on a stock, the columbine symbolized the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The columbine also symbolized loyalty, constancy, love, fertility, and the Virgin Mary. Used in medieval recipes, columbine was believed to drive away poisons and the plague in the Middle Ages. It also treated jaundice, helped in childbirth, and eased sore mouths and throats. When carried on one’s person, it supposedly stopped dogs from barking.

 


Source: metmuseum.org

Panel with a Griffin, 1250–1300Byzantine; Possibly from Greece or the BalkansMarbleIn the ancient world, the mythical beasts called griffins were symbols of royalty and protectors of the dead. They continued to play these roles for Christians. A legend popular in the Byzantine era told of griffins carrying Alexander the Great through the heavens so he could view his vast realm. Carved griffins such as the one illustrated here are found on later Byzantine tombs, where they may have been placed to identify the dead of royal status and to afford them protection. The design of the relief is similar to patterns on Byzantine and Islamic silks.Source:Panel with a Griffin [Byzantine; Possibly from Greece or the Balkans] (2000.81) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Panel with a Griffin, 1250–1300
Byzantine; Possibly from Greece or the Balkans
Marble

In the ancient world, the mythical beasts called griffins were symbols of royalty and protectors of the dead. They continued to play these roles for Christians. A legend popular in the Byzantine era told of griffins carrying Alexander the Great through the heavens so he could view his vast realm. Carved griffins such as the one illustrated here are found on later Byzantine tombs, where they may have been placed to identify the dead of royal status and to afford them protection. The design of the relief is similar to patterns on Byzantine and Islamic silks.

Source:Panel with a Griffin [Byzantine; Possibly from Greece or the Balkans] (2000.81) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Symbolic Jewelry

Precious stones held deep meanings for people during the Middle Ages. Wearing one or more of these stones let others know of personal characteristics, hopes and beliefs. Some of the medieval meanings of precious stones include:

 Chrysoprase: Virtue


Red Jasper: Love


Beryl: Purification (Beryl possesses a wide color palette. Its blue variety is called Aquamarine, green one - Emerald, yellow - Heliodor and pink - Morganite)

Green Jasper: Faith

White Jasper: Gentleness

Amethyst: Christ’s martyrdom         

 

Chalcedony: Closeness to God


Emerald: Christian hope


Sardonyx: Chastity or humility


Chrysolite: Heavenly life


Sapphire: Heaven-bound

Hyacinth: God’s grace


image: In the Chariot of an Ancient Italian Tarot (Anonymous, Italy of the North, XVI century, Leber 1351, XIV. Town Library, Rouen), that represents a commander on a wagon pulled by horses, the writing “Victoriae Premium” set in the bottom part of the card clearly explains that it deals with a triumphal event offered as a prize to the generals on the occasion of their victories.   The Chariot (VII) is the seventh trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. The triumph that follows the Chariot in the first known list of tarots, that is the Sermones de Ludo, is the Christian Fortitude, to specify that the desire of power, of glory and of fame must be mitigated by appealing to this virtue. Actually the Chariot, that assumes in tarots the values attributed by Petrarca to Fame in his famous Triumphs, is defined by the monk author of the Sermones as a “mundus parvus”, which is to say an ephemeral success, a small triumph, in relation to the fact that Fame, who give to time the deeds of great men, will have to succumb to Time itself and above all to the only and true unchangeable reality, that is the Divinity that Petrarca expressed in the Triumph of Eternity.   Conquest ——- Honor ——- Victory ——- Energy Egocentrism ——- Self confidence ——- Conviction ——- Anxiety Willpower ——- Self assertion ——- Hard control ——- Discipline Inflexibility ——- Success ——- Wealth ——- Recognition Impulsivity ——- Command ——- Bravery ——- Pride more about this card in an article Wikipedia
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image: In the Chariot of an Ancient Italian Tarot (Anonymous, Italy of the North, XVI century, Leber 1351, XIV. Town Library, Rouen), that represents a commander on a wagon pulled by horses, the writing “Victoriae Premium” set in the bottom part of the card clearly explains that it deals with a triumphal event offered as a prize to the generals on the occasion of their victories.  

The Chariot (VII) is the seventh trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks.

The triumph that follows the Chariot in the first known list of tarots, that is the Sermones de Ludo, is the Christian Fortitude, to specify that the desire of power, of glory and of fame must be mitigated by appealing to this virtue. Actually the Chariot, that assumes in tarots the values attributed by Petrarca to Fame in his famous Triumphs, is defined by the monk author of the Sermones as a “mundus parvus”, which is to say an ephemeral success, a small triumph, in relation to the fact that Fame, who give to time the deeds of great men, will have to succumb to Time itself and above all to the only and true unchangeable reality, that is the Divinity that Petrarca expressed in the Triumph of Eternity.  

  • Conquest ——- Honor ——- Victory ——- Energy
  • Egocentrism ——- Self confidence ——- Conviction ——- Anxiety
  • Willpower ——- Self assertion ——- Hard control ——- Discipline
  • Inflexibility ——- Success ——- Wealth ——- Recognition
  • Impulsivity ——- Command ——- Bravery ——- Pride

more about this card in an article

Wikipedia

It is very difficult to find a good photo of this tapestrie so I recommend visiting this link where you can zoom in to a greater detail, to get a result like this: Title The Unicorn Is AttackedDate 1495–1505Culture South NetherlandishMedium Wool warp with wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts Description According to tradition, the unicorn cannot be disturbed while performing a magical act. The attack by the hunters thus presumably begins soon after the action depicted in The Unicorn Is Found, and the scene is one filled with chaos and commotion. The ferocity of the battle is conveyed by the converging lances aimed at the animal, the sounding of the hunting horns, and the menacing hounds. Already wounded on his back, the unicorn leaps across a stream in a desperate attempt to escape his encircling enemies.The use of hounds to scout, chase, and eventually attack the quarry was typical practice in medieval stag hunts, and the palatial buildings in the background might be a further allusion to the hunt as a royal or aristocratic pastime. Unlike The Hunters Enter the Woods and The Unicorn in Captivity, this and the other hangings are set in realistic landscapes that enhance the drama of the hunt. (source)
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It is very difficult to find a good photo of this tapestrie so I recommend visiting this link where you can zoom in to a greater detail, to get a result like this:

Title The Unicorn Is Attacked
Date 1495–1505
Culture South Netherlandish
Medium Wool warp with wool, silk, silver, and gilt wefts

Description

According to tradition, the unicorn cannot be disturbed while performing a magical act. The attack by the hunters thus presumably begins soon after the action depicted in The Unicorn Is Found, and the scene is one filled with chaos and commotion. The ferocity of the battle is conveyed by the converging lances aimed at the animal, the sounding of the hunting horns, and the menacing hounds. Already wounded on his back, the unicorn leaps across a stream in a desperate attempt to escape his encircling enemies.

The use of hounds to scout, chase, and eventually attack the quarry was typical practice in medieval stag hunts, and the palatial buildings in the background might be a further allusion to the hunt as a royal or aristocratic pastime. Unlike The Hunters Enter the Woods and The Unicorn in Captivity, this and the other hangings are set in realistic landscapes that enhance the drama of the hunt.

(source)

image: Giotto: The Seven Vices - Foolishness, A standard medieval allegory of Foolishness, painted by Giotto. This depiction resembles the Fool in the earliest surviving painted decks. THE FOOL The Fool or The Jester is one of the 78 cards in a Tarot deck; one of the 22 Trump cards that make up the Major Arcana. The Fool is unnumbered (sometime represented as 0—the first—or XXII—the last—Major Arcana in decks). It is used in divination as well as in game playing. The Fool is the spirit in search of experience. He represents the mystical cleverness bereft of reason within us, the childlike ability to tune into the inner workings of the world. The sun shining behind him represents the divine nature of the Fool’s wisdom and exuberance, holy madness or ‘crazy wisdom’. On his back are all the possessions he might need. In his hand there is a flower, showing his appreciation of beauty. He is frequently accompanied by a dog, sometimes seen as his animal desires, sometimes as the call of the “real world”, nipping at his heels and distracting him. He is seemingly unconcerned that he is standing on a precipice, apparently about to step off. One of the keys to the card is the paradigm of the precipice, Zero and the sometimes represented oblivious Fool’s near-step into the oblivion (The Void) of the jaws of a crocodile, for example, are all mutually informing polysemy within evocations of the iconography of The Fool. The staff is the offset and complement to the void and this in many traditions represents wisdom and renunciation, eg. ‘danda’ (Sanskrit) of a Sanyassin, ‘danda’ (Sanskrit) is also a punctuation mark with the function analogous to a ‘full-stop’ which is appropriately termed, a period in English grammar. The Fool is both the beginning and the end, neither and otherwise, betwixt and between, liminal. The number 0 is a perfect significator for the Fool, as it can become anything when he reaches his destination as in the sense of ‘joker’s wild’. Zero plus anything equals the same thing. Zero times anything equals zero. Zero is nothing, a lack of hard substance, and as such it may reflect a non-issue or lack of cohesiveness for the subject at hand. (an extensive article on the subject)
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image: Giotto: The Seven Vices - Foolishness, A standard medieval allegory of Foolishness, painted by Giotto. This depiction resembles the Fool in the earliest surviving painted decks.

THE FOOL

The Fool or The Jester is one of the 78 cards in a Tarot deck; one of the 22 Trump cards that make up the Major Arcana. The Fool is unnumbered (sometime represented as 0—the first—or XXII—the last—Major Arcana in decks). It is used in divination as well as in game playing.

The Fool is the spirit in search of experience. He represents the mystical cleverness bereft of reason within us, the childlike ability to tune into the inner workings of the world. The sun shining behind him represents the divine nature of the Fool’s wisdom and exuberance, holy madness or ‘crazy wisdom’. On his back are all the possessions he might need. In his hand there is a flower, showing his appreciation of beauty. He is frequently accompanied by a dog, sometimes seen as his animal desires, sometimes as the call of the “real world”, nipping at his heels and distracting him. He is seemingly unconcerned that he is standing on a precipice, apparently about to step off. One of the keys to the card is the paradigm of the precipice, Zero and the sometimes represented oblivious Fool’s near-step into the oblivion (The Void) of the jaws of a crocodile, for example, are all mutually informing polysemy within evocations of the iconography of The Fool. The staff is the offset and complement to the void and this in many traditions represents wisdom and renunciation, eg. ‘danda’ (Sanskrit) of a Sanyassin, ‘danda’ (Sanskrit) is also a punctuation mark with the function analogous to a ‘full-stop’ which is appropriately termed, a period in English grammar. The Fool is both the beginning and the end, neither and otherwise, betwixt and between, liminal.

The number 0 is a perfect significator for the Fool, as it can become anything when he reaches his destination as in the sense of ‘joker’s wild’. Zero plus anything equals the same thing. Zero times anything equals zero. Zero is nothing, a lack of hard substance, and as such it may reflect a non-issue or lack of cohesiveness for the subject at hand.

(an extensive article on the subject)