CORRECTION: We apologize for the fault in the headline. There were no oboists in the medieval period, amorous or otherwise. Those responsible for this ridiculous headline have been sacked.
Some of the monks in medieval scriptoriums were less gifted than others when it came to drawing the human figure. Their illuminations are filled with expressionless people who stare blankly out of gorgeous illuminated letters, or stiff-looking minstrels holding their instruments at awkward angles. Sometimes it's a challenge just to tell the men from the women.
Clearly, these artists' ability to draw people lagged far behind their talents in drawing the lavish decorations that surrounded them, leading to a disconnect between the serious nature of these scenes and the inherent silliness of the human figures. It's a disconnect that Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame had a great deal of fun with in his animations for Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the British comedy troupe's long-running TV series.
(Of course, some late medieval artists like Hieronymous Bosch were very adept at drawing the human figure, but we won't concern ouselves with artists of his caliber in this story.)
The margins of some of these manuscripts are full of cavorting minstrels, animals playing musical instruments and bizarre hybrid creatures. These drawings are called marginalia, and together with the manuscripts' main illustrations, they were the cartoons of their day. The only thing that is missing are the captions, and Classicalite has been happy to provide them:
1. Early Musicians
If today's early music specialists were really interested in being authentic, they would hold their instruments the way these musicians do.
2. Playing the Vielle
A minstrel demonstrates the little known over-the-shoulder vielle technique.
Make sure to bow on the fingerboard!
3. Musicians on the Castle Wall
"Here's how I woo women with my sensuous and godlike shawm playing."
4. The Dogharp
Dogharp to harpist: "Just a little lower, please. There, that's it."
5. This last image is a step up in terms of artistic skill, but the subject matter is strange nonetheless:
"Why yes, I always perform seated on two swans."
