Medieval drollery

Monogrammist MH | An owl dressed as a soldier (1500-1549) | As owls are active at night and virtually blind by day, the bird was seen as a evil creature which choose darkness over light. It was associated with stupidity, deceit and shady activities. Hunters used owls to lure birds: they would tie an owl and make a screaming sound. Other birds would come and try to chase they owl away during which they were captured by the hunter. The birds were thus caught by their 'virtue'.

@medievalmarginalia on Instagram: “champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends 🥂”

“Why did Medieval people draw such strange doodles?”

[f. 168r] The Luttrell Psalter is a book that was commissioned by Sir Geoffrey Luttrell in the 14th century. It is best known for its outstanding marginalia, which combines religious events and iconography with scenes of everyday life in medieval times. Apparently they had squirrels as pets back then, which is a bit awesome. [f. 33r] [f. 201r] [f. 164v] There is only one copy of this text in existence, however the British Library recently digitised the manuscript, and you can check it out…

Saint John envisions “a Lamb standing as if it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of the God, sent forth into all the earth.” (Apocalypse 5:6) The Vision of a Lamb in the Midst of the Four Living...2019-05-10

End of line drollery for manuscript