reference archive

I'm a medievalist artist collecting references

[portalibis]

"De Sphaera" (Sphaerae coelestis et planetarum descriptio) is a magnificent 15th-century Italian illuminated manuscript and one of the most beautiful astrological books of the Renaissance. Created around 1470, likely for the Sforza court in Milan, it is currently preserved in the Biblioteca Estense in Modena. The text outlines the Ptolemaic vision of the universe, detailing the celestial spheres, zodiac signs, and planets. The manuscript is most famous for its extraordinary miniatures, which vividly depict the planets alongside highly detailed scenes of both aristocratic and everyday earthly life, illustrating how celestial bodies were believed to influence human destiny, character, and daily activities.

[cuties-in-codices]

neptune with his entourage

miniature from a copy of evrart de conty's livre des échecs amoureux, illuminated by robinet testard. the manuscript was produced in cognac (france), c. 1496-98

source: Paris, BnF, Français 143, fol. 130v

[demonagerie]

Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 291, detail of f. 170v. Rabanus Maurus, De rerum naturis. 1425

[arinewman7]

Saint Margaret of Antioch

Alabaster, with traces of gilding, ca. 1475

[thebeautifulbook]

CODEX ROTUNDUS (Flanders, c.1480)

Held by Dombibliothek Hildesheim, Germany.

source

[portalibis]

Alchemical texts, Germany, between 1600 and 1800, Beinecke MS 309

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[velvetmasonry]

Gold ring with a heart-shaped bezel set with a wolf's tooth, England or France, 13th century

Later inscribed c. 1375-1425 to use as a charm against toothache and to calm storms

[jeannepompadour]

15th century French manuscript of 'Des cas des nobles hommes et femmes 'by Giovanni Boccaccio

[historicl]

From the Codex Manesse, depicting the German minnesinger (lyric poet and knight) known as Der Schenk von Limburg.

[cuties-in-codices]

pyramus and thisbe

full-page miniature from the prayerbook of duke johann albrecht von mecklenburg, produced in flanders and nuremberg, c. 1510-1530

source: Kassel, UB, 4° Ms. math. 50, fol. 41r

[enchantedbook]

Illustration from Speculum Humanae Salvationis. 1427.

[afrenchladyinnc]

[cuties-in-codices]

drawings of flowers and cherries at the margins of a manuscript made to look like real material objects affixed to the page

in a book of hours, flanders, ca. 1520

source: Vienna, Österr. Nationalbibl., Cod. 2730, f. 7r-9r.

[enchantedbook]

Detail of Two Scenes from 'Der Busant' (The Buzzard), tapestry from Alsace (1480-90)

[cuties-in-codices]

the garden of eden

miniature from le secret de l'histoire naturelle [...], france, c. 1480-90

source: Paris, BnF, Français 22971, fol. 46r

[cuties-in-codices]

medieval beds & sheets

collection of 15th c. manuscript illustrations

sources/links: Chantilly, Bibl. et Archives du Château, Ms. 388, fol. 8v // Paris, BnF, Français 96, fol. 17r // Paris, Bibl. Mazarine, Ms. 955, fol. 10v // Munich, BSB, Cgm 503, fol. 36v // Paris, BnF, Français 112 (1), fol. 244v // Frankfurt, UB, Ms. germ. qu. 12, fol. 50r // Paris, BnF, Français 119, fol. 398v // Karlsruhe, BLB, Cod. Donaueschingen 145, fol. 91r // Berlin, SBB, Ms. germ. fol. 1, fol. 86v // Munich, BSB, Cgm 8010a, fol. 22r // Genève, Bibl. de Genève, Ms. fr. 165, fol. 7r // St. Gallen, Kantonsbibl., VadSlg Ms. 343c, fol. 27r // Paris, BnF, Ms-5070 réserve, fol. 12v // Los Angeles, Getty Museum, Ms. 33, fol. 210r

[twirld]

Codex Rotundus “266 almost perfectly circular pages of parchment have been bound together to build a block of 3cm height with a diameter of only 9cm.”

The initials of the metal clasps point us to Adolph of Cleves, Lord of Ravenstein (1425 - 1492) as the owner.