It is many years since I undertook my Master’s study in medieval and early modern studies at the University of Kent, which was just the beginning of a fabulous journey. The various compulsory elements of the taught Master’s degree opened the way to be able to read original documents, an understanding of the different types of documents and records all of which hold a plethora of untapped information.
My dissertation was on the Life and Works of Levina Teerlinc (nee Bening), and since then I have continued to research various manuscripts that may, or may not have been created by the first woman to be appointed as an official artist to a european court. During that research I identified a portrait miniature of Unknown Lady by Nicholas Hilliard as being of Teerlinc. The miniature is held in the Duke of Buccleuch’s collection. This identification was accepted by both my supervisor and external examiners and this link will take you to my article on that Hilliard portrait miniature. She has continued to fascinate me and my discoveries of new work that can be firmly attributed to her brush will be published next year.
What never ceases to amaze me is the close association of art to politics prior to the invention of photography. I don’t think I’m alone in thinking this, but perhaps I am one of the few who look at paintings of any shape and form with an eye to looking whether they contain layered meanings. This has led to a close study of what might be called traditional history – i.e. the politics of the period.
Studying various illuminated manuscripts and portrait miniatures led to a study of medieval symbolism and the works of the 15th century humanist philosophers Marsilius Ficino, and Pico della Mirandolo. Mirandolo studied both the Hebrew and Latin texts of the Jewish Kaballah and his ‘900 theses’ was the first to be banned by the Vatican. He believed that through the study of the spiritual attributions of numbers “…. a way may be had for the investigation and understanding of everything possible to be known.’ It was his worked that was expanded by Johannes Reuchlin and Henricus Cornelius Agrippa in the 16th century; and it was Agrippa’s work that influenced John Dee, mathematician, astrologer and alchemist to Elizabeth I. Agrippa’s writings were studied through to the Age of Enlightment and were translated into English in 1651.
In simple terms it is possible to see how Mirandolo’s consideration of the spiritual attributions of numbers influenced the various works of anonymous Flemish illuminators known as ‘Master’s of …’. The naturalistic marginalia of many religious texts contain examples where flora with five petals represent the five wounds of Christ, such as a 5 petalled dianthus and the pansy (this has five lobes), the name derives from the French verb, penser – to think. Diathus flowers also resemble the flat headed nails used in the Crucifixion, and both examples would have inspired the individual to contemplate the life of Christ. Plants with seven leaves, such as a wild rose, are a floral expression of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin. Other elements may refer to the Passion, Crucifixion and Resurrection depending on the reader’s level of understanding of the spiritual value of examples laid out in specific numbers. Later in the sixteenth century this type of numerical visual code becomes used in secular portraits and portrait miniatures and added layers of meaning that were only to be read and understood by the recipient because the real content of a miniature portrait was so secret.
Some illuminations show their animal contents were more than just traveller’s tales. Be they marginal references or full page illuminations, the portrayal of parrots and monkeys are clearly inspired by what these intrepid explorers saw or brought back with them from their voyages into the unknown, or in the case of representations of St George killing a wingless dragon the beast is clearly a form of monitor lizard. Such a beast appears in the da Costa Hours held in the Morgan Library, New York, and is possibly a representation of the Kimodo dragon, which has been described to the artist, Simon Bening. My article “Parrots, Kings and other things“ is just one aspect of this research, which has been presented at international conferences.
Just before the pandemic hit I undertook an investigation into a panel painting in a private collection. This is an intriguing image and the scientific data revealed that it had, at some point, been split and rejoined. You can download my full report by clicking this link.
I also completed a study of Artemesia Gentileschi’s Susanna and the Elders, which you can also download by clicking the Free download tab.
As for other stuff, I live in Surrey and have taught the following courses in art and medieval history to various adult education groups: Art & Architecture in Renaissance 1350-1500; The Exchange of Ideas between Southern & Northern Europe – Giotto & Van Eyck to Michelangelo & Hans Holbein the Younger; The Italian High Renaissance & Mannerism 1500 – 1600; The Stranger Painters of the Tudor Court; The Marketing of Monarchy; Elizabeth I – the Age of Gloriana; The Normans in Europe; The Reconquest of Spain; The Rise of the Venetian Republic; The Albigensian Crusade; France 1450 – 1500; The Golden Age of Dutch Art and How the Impressionists documented the Industrial Revolution.
I am frequently asked to give talks to art clubs and various other groups on all aspects of art and history. You can see what talks I have given to my own Ashtead Art Lovers group during the past 17 years + on the “What we have looked at before” page.
I have also written articles for various popular websites TudorsDynasty, QueenAnne Boleny.com, On the Tudor Trail and The Tudor Society.
For fun I have written 3 novels (click the link to take you to that page), and a short story Walls of Truth– a hard copy of which was accepted for inclusion in the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. This short story is available as a free download.
I am a member of the Society of Renaissance Studies and a Friend of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and an Affliliate of the Society of Antiquaries (their library is such a valuable resource for historians) – and it is open to anyone to join as an affiliate.
I am very happy to travel to give any of these talks to interested groups. If you would like to discuss dates etc. please email me at melanie.v.taylor@gmail.com or ring me on 01372 272235.
Melanie V Taylor 