Robert, thank you for brightening up this bleak South Texas morning.
As I read this and reflected about my own responsibilities concerning bringing color to families and their homes (I am the sales associate who kinda runs the paint department of a major building supply company in Texas) I see how COLOR is fundamental to spiritual and emotional well-being.
You showcased:
the Father's and Our Lady's BLUE,
the Son's RED (in a negative example provided by the poor pigs). This speaks to the saving power of Jesus Christ's Precious Blood.
the Holy Spirit's GREEN with the vegetation that springs from winter's grave as nourishment for the next generation of life (and love).
I have a computer screen that is used to develop paint colors and dispense tinting and as a background I have a black screen with three interlocking Borromeo Rings to teach customers how full blue, full red and full green LIGHT is perceived by the cones of our eyes as pure, WHITE LIGHT.
Call it subconscious or covert evangelization or not. I haven't been fired yet.
Praise the Holy Trinity, undivided unity, Holy God, Mighty God, God Immortal be adored.
Such luminous images, and so full of life! Elizabeth heavy with child. The swine in abundance being prepared for slaughter. The bugs, butterfies and caterpillars among the plants and fruits. The exquisite beauty of the Virgin. Such a gift!
You are so right - this artwork is gorgeous, delicate, and magnificent . I too love Our Lady's innocent and pure face. I also love Elizabeth's sweet smile with her eyes glancing sideward toward Mary's great secret and hope. Very tender and motherly. What a feast on a dreary winter day. Your post brought me light today. Thank you.
You're welcome! Truly, this Book of Hours is an astonishing masterpiece, especially when you consider that what I've shown here is just a small sample of its artwork—that manuscript has almost 50 full-page miniatures and over 300 pages with illuminated borders!
I’m really enjoying flipping through the pages. The art is so precise with the botanicals that I can recognize the plants before seeing the names - which are sometimes easy to read and some require thinking…. The art is fantastic. So careful, so well placed ~ as you said, “magnificent.”
The attention to detail in the botanical artwork is simply extraordinary and makes me wonder what exactly the artist was working from ... did he go out and find all these plants in a royal garden somewhere?
It was perfect timing reading your piece today as I have to oversee slaughtering some of my lambs tomorrow, which I absolutely do not enjoy. The depictions of the more gruesome seasonal tasks, crafted with as much care as those of the fruits and the flowers, do help me to stay focused on the grander scheme of land and animal management.
I'm glad this post arrived at a good time for you, Susanna. I also emphatically did not enjoy slaughtering and was never good at any aspect of it. But there is a strange sort of beauty in it, I think, and it's meaningful, as you say, to see the artist treat it as a subject worthy of beautiful representation.
Robert, thank you for brightening up this bleak South Texas morning.
As I read this and reflected about my own responsibilities concerning bringing color to families and their homes (I am the sales associate who kinda runs the paint department of a major building supply company in Texas) I see how COLOR is fundamental to spiritual and emotional well-being.
You showcased:
the Father's and Our Lady's BLUE,
the Son's RED (in a negative example provided by the poor pigs). This speaks to the saving power of Jesus Christ's Precious Blood.
the Holy Spirit's GREEN with the vegetation that springs from winter's grave as nourishment for the next generation of life (and love).
I have a computer screen that is used to develop paint colors and dispense tinting and as a background I have a black screen with three interlocking Borromeo Rings to teach customers how full blue, full red and full green LIGHT is perceived by the cones of our eyes as pure, WHITE LIGHT.
Call it subconscious or covert evangelization or not. I haven't been fired yet.
Praise the Holy Trinity, undivided unity, Holy God, Mighty God, God Immortal be adored.
Thank you for this comment, Mike. Truly, color is a powerful aspect of our lives—beautiful in itself and also powerfully symbolic!
Such luminous images, and so full of life! Elizabeth heavy with child. The swine in abundance being prepared for slaughter. The bugs, butterfies and caterpillars among the plants and fruits. The exquisite beauty of the Virgin. Such a gift!
Thank you for this lovely comment!
You are so right - this artwork is gorgeous, delicate, and magnificent . I too love Our Lady's innocent and pure face. I also love Elizabeth's sweet smile with her eyes glancing sideward toward Mary's great secret and hope. Very tender and motherly. What a feast on a dreary winter day. Your post brought me light today. Thank you.
You're welcome! Truly, this Book of Hours is an astonishing masterpiece, especially when you consider that what I've shown here is just a small sample of its artwork—that manuscript has almost 50 full-page miniatures and over 300 pages with illuminated borders!
Do you have a direct link to share to see more images? I tried the website but was unsuccessful at pulling up the Ms.
Yes, the BnF website is not very easy to navigate. This link should take you there:
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b52500984v/f26.item
I’m really enjoying flipping through the pages. The art is so precise with the botanicals that I can recognize the plants before seeing the names - which are sometimes easy to read and some require thinking…. The art is fantastic. So careful, so well placed ~ as you said, “magnificent.”
The attention to detail in the botanical artwork is simply extraordinary and makes me wonder what exactly the artist was working from ... did he go out and find all these plants in a royal garden somewhere?
Thank you so much!
It was perfect timing reading your piece today as I have to oversee slaughtering some of my lambs tomorrow, which I absolutely do not enjoy. The depictions of the more gruesome seasonal tasks, crafted with as much care as those of the fruits and the flowers, do help me to stay focused on the grander scheme of land and animal management.
I'm glad this post arrived at a good time for you, Susanna. I also emphatically did not enjoy slaughtering and was never good at any aspect of it. But there is a strange sort of beauty in it, I think, and it's meaningful, as you say, to see the artist treat it as a subject worthy of beautiful representation.
Beautiful! Thank you!
Deo gratias! What beautiful imagery!