12th Century Bible, part 2!

Manuscript no. 2 is a continuation of the previous manuscript. Pictured in red above is the region of France where this Bible originated in 1100-1124 AD.

Figure 8: (detail from fol. 49 v) loose sleeves, red mantle, crown, full length tunic, and red shoes.

Figure 9: (detail from fol. 60) Blue veil, loose sleeves, red mantle. Notice the decoration on face. There is a documentary running currently stating that that is a distinct style of make up. For the life of me I can't remember where I saw this, but the effect they achieved on the show matches this one in my memory.

Figure 10: (detail from fol. 67v) Center front trim disappears into line in drawing. Fitted torso, fitted sleeves, full hem. Red shoes. Notice line at waist.

Figure 11: (detail from fol. 104) Phyringian hat, loose sleeves, no center band of trim down front. Red leggings, Pale shoes. Notice line at waist.

Figure 12: (detail from fol. 116) No shoes, trim on front goes halfway down torso departing from previous depictions. Mantle not red on this illustration which is also deviation from previous.

Figure 13: (detail from fol. 120) Front trim on both tunics goes halfway and not to waist again. fitted sleeve on man being beheaded, but loose and flowing on woman wielding sword. Interesting depiction of red layer over tunic that appears to be illustrated seperately from mantle. Draping of fabric, especially in the mantle layer can create the illusion of seperate layers, but this illustration makes you think about what it really is.

Figure 14: (detail from fol. 125) Bare legs, center front trim goes to waist. Loose at cuff.

Figure 15: (detail from fol. 157) Green mantle, red trim. Trim in manuscript is illustrated in mainly gold and red.

Figure 16: (detail from fol. 178) Loose sleeves, full length tunic, red mantle, and center front trim goes to waist.

Figure 16: (detail from fol. 207) Again we see a layer at the waist that is a different layer than the mantle. This may be artistic liscense in coloring, but bears some consideration since the tunic and mantle are different colors.

Figure 17: (detail from fol. 212) Nude figure. Notice line at waist, same as in drawings of tunic, hmmmm.....

Figure 18: (detail from fol. 228) Blue leggings, knee length tunic with close sleeves and torso. Red shoes.

Figure 19: (detail from fol. 230) Another nude. Notice the line at the waist, hmmmm, looks like the line on the tunics eh?

Figure 20: (detail from fol. 112) Crown, full lenth tunic, red mantle, red leggings, pale shoes.

Interesting costume depictions in this manuscript. They fall in line with much of what is seen in 12th century art. Again, this is from the first quarter of the 12th century. The image of the bliaut and the King Arthur fashions dates to a little later in this century, but the building blocks are here.

At Lilies I will be teaching the class on bliaut again. It's always bothered me all the contrary theories on that garment. Fashion in the Middle Ages generally follows a progression and the seperate skirt sewn onto the bliaut theory has boggled my mind. I've seen the documentation supporting the gathered waistband skirt and understand why people would follow that theory. I'm not sure it bears out. Above I included the nudes partially for this reason. Even on naked people the artists drew that line. Can we then use the occurance of that line to justify a seam?

Pondering and more pondering to be done!