## <f72v2>          {$I=Z $Q=K $P=G}
# Last edited on 1998-10-09 07:39:41 by stolfi
#
# Identification:
#
#   Title: "Virgo"
#   Page: f72v2 = KG (Rene) = p141 (Stolfi)
#   Folio: f72
#   Panels: f72v2
#   Bifolio: bK1 = f71+f72
#   Quire: K (Rene) = XI (Beinecke)
#
#   This page is the central verso panel of n eight-panel fold-out.
#
# Attributes:
#
#   Language: ? (Currier)
#   Hand: ? (Currier)
#   Subsets: Z (Rene), zod (Stolfi)
#   Subject: zodiac
#   Colors: ??? (Reeds)
#
# Description:
#
#   [To be checked and completed]
#
#   Six faint, mostly concentric, mechanically drawn circles delimit
#   three rings of text. The outer ring crosses the fold into page
#   f72v3, and runs under that page's diagram, so the text is
#   interrupted between 08:30 and 09:30. There are notable gaps on the
#   other two rings at about 09:30.
#
#   The two outermost circles are not exactly concentric, and the 
#   third one doesn't quite close on itself (at 06:30).
#
#   Inside the inner circle there is a woman (with breasts) standing,
#   wearing a long pleated dress with flaring sleeves, and a hat or
#   hat-like hairdo.  With her right hand she is holding a star, by its tail; 
#   the left hand is empty and half-stretched forward. At her feet there
#   is a tuft of grass and a daisy-like flower. Above the flower
#   is a word in a dark, different script (possibly "septe~br" with the 
#   tilde over the "e").
#
#   Between the bands of text, there are two bands of naked figures
#   ("nymphs"), 12 in the inner one, 18 in the outer one. Most of them
#   are clearly female, but some have undefined sex (no breasts but also
#   no genitals).  The inner ring figure at 04:00 is smaller and is
#   standing on a tub or platform of some sort.
#
#   Each nymph is holding or pointing to a star, some by its tail ---
#   except for the inner nymph at 00:30, who is just looking at the
#   star, and the inner nymph at 01:30, who has no star. There is 
#   a label under each star.
#
# Comments:
#
#   The gaps at 09:30 suggest the text should be read starting from there.
#
#   The way f72v3 overlaps f72v2 indicates that they were drawn in
#   that order.
#
#   Rene [27 Mar 1996] observes similarities between the zodiac
#   symbols in the VMs and those in a 1440 german manuscript [1]. Says
#   in particular that Virgo in that manuscript holds a flower and not
#   a star.
#
#   Adams Douglas [28 Mar 1996] thinks the star held by the
#   symbol-woman is Spica, the brightest star in Virgo, usually on the
#   her head or a sceptre.
#
# References:
#
# [1] Manuscript Palat. Lat. 1369.  Samples in [2].
#
# [2] Fritz Saxl, book about astronomical and astrological images in medieval 
# manuscripts.
#
