Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Philosophy nourishing the seven liberal arts, with Arithmetic, Astronomy, Music and a fourth art instructing
Austria, Salzburg, second third of the 12th century
MS M.982r

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Philosophy Nourishing the Liberal Arts -- Female personification of Philosophy, crowned, as half-figure, holds open books in right hand and scepter in left hand. Flowing from the center of her breast are seven wavy lines to personifications of the seven Liberal Arts: Arithmetic (?), wearing cap, holding key in right hand and footed bowl in left hand; Logic (?), wearing helmet, holding sword in right hand and shield in left hand; Grammar (?), hooded, pointing with right hand to tablet or abacus held in left hand; Music, playing harp; Rhetoric (?), crowned, winged, holding rod in right hand and open book in left hand; Geometry, wearing cap, holding globe in right hand and carpenter's square in left hand; and Astronomy (?), pointing with left hand toward celestial (?) globe held in right hand. The figures are all enclosed in ring of clouds; outside the ring of clouds and flanking Philosophy are stars and personifications of sun and moon.