I find in these works a fascinating mix of the familiar and the strange, of sophistication and naivete, that draws my eye and charges my imagination.
I love what the artist did with the standard ancient trope of the arched table.
And then there is this strange work, an illustrated copy of a devotional poem called The Organ of Mary.
This looks much more African to me, especially the textile-like colors and patterns of the decoration. The scribe of this work signed his name, Baselyos.
The illuminator also signed his name, using a mark that has been found in other manuscripts. This used to be interpreted as a night heron, and thus our painter was dubbed The Night Heron Master. These days people think the bird is the ground hornbill, so now we have the Ground Hornbill Master.
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