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Scrolls in 2023

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Laurel for Marlein Eberlein.  This was a scroll I had promised to do for the recipient as and when she became a Laurel (recognised master in the field of Arts and Sciences in the SCA). That finally happened this year. It was inspired by 16th century "Citizen Portraits"... that is, portraits commissioned by well-to-do bourgeois, something that really only began to happen in this period.  Previously portraiture had mostly been the monopoly of royalty or nobility.  Such portraits often (though far from universally) feature the sitter's accomplishments or source of their wealth, and because the sitter will not be armigerous, any heraldry will be typically that of their trade guild.  In this case I featured the clothes Marlein has made (being worn by her), a sprang hairnet and some pottery, three arts in which she has distinguished herself.  As she often sells her produce, I have put her at a trade counter, implying a successful merchant. I used the symbol of the Laurel Order
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Illuminated Poem: Ranulf, Earl of Chester

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  Langland's "Piers Ploughman" mentions in passing that Robin Hood and Ranulf, Earl of Chester were both popular characters in the everyday tales of late 14th Century England.  Robin Hood, of course, has survived,  Ranulf has not.  So I thought it was time to revive him.  Unfortunately, by Langland's time, three Earls of Chester had been called Ranulf/Randolph.  I just picked the one whom I thought would give me the best story (Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester, 1099–1153). As the plan for these illuminated poems, when finished, is to present them as "The Canterbury Out-takes" (Poems by Chaucer that never made the final cut!) they had to be illustrated in a style between the writing of the Canterbury Tales and the "Final Cut"... Caxton's printed edition.  The borders are inspired by "The Carpentin Hours" and the first illustration by a manuscript of Josephus' "Histories of the Jews" commissioned by Edward IV, so from
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Two Byzantine Style "scrolls"

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  The recipients knew in advance that they would be getting these awards (which are given at the end of their time of service as Prince and Princess) and so requested that they be done in a Byzantine style, which I have not tried before. The idea of painting them on board to resemble icons was my own, and posed some practical problems, since I normally transfer the design using a light-box, which works fine on translucent pergamenata, but not on MDF fibre-board! I'm not sure that Byzantine is "my" style, but the recipients seemed happy with them. I used modern materials as I did not have time to master the techniques of traditional icon painting.  They were painted with acrylic on MDF board, with  gold leaf background. The blank spaces are because at the time I was painting them, it was not known who the new Prince and Princess would be.  Happily, the right couple won the throne... that is, the couple with names which well fitted the spaces available!  As I was not presen
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The Wizard of Oz

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  This scroll was produced at relatively short notice for an SCA member who has been living in Britain, but is shortly to return to her original home of Kansas.  She tends to dress as a witch at SCA events, so the combination of "witch", "Kansas" and travel strongly pointed to a "Wizard of Oz"-themed scroll.  The scroll is entirely original, not based on any specific exemplar, though the grisaille style in which it is done was popular in late 15th century Flemish illumination. The buildings below are all venues used for our SCA events. Gouache, ink and gold leaf on Pergamenata.
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Another de Lisle Pelican

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 This Pelican, the highest award for service, is based on two pages from the de Lisle Psalter, adapted as necessary to portray the presentation of the award to the recipient by the king. This was the second time I have used the de Lisle Psalter for a Pelican Scroll (the original in fact features two "Pelicans in their Piety", symbols of the order).  For the first, see  Two Peerage Scrolls (richardofsalesberie.blogspot.com)
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A late-Saxon piece

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 This scroll, a high award for service, was done in the style of the late-Saxon "Benedictional of Aethelwold", and attempts to produce a portrait whilst remaining roughly true to the style of the original manuscript. Gouache and leaf gold on Pergamenata.
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Return to the Macclesfield Psalter

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The Sun and Pearl is a new award, granted to recognise those who add a particular quality of authenticity to the life of the Principality. The Macclesfield Psalter has been the inspiration for many of my scrolls, but this was the first time I attempted to use one of the relatively few pages with four-sided borders as my starting point.  The scroll is a fairly straight copy of the original (though with some restoration, as the original page is rather damaged).  It was personalised by including portraits of the recipient and the presenting Prince and Princess in the initial letter, trying as hard as practically possible to make them consistent with the style of the original... there is also a little in-joke about elephants, and the heraldry has been changed. Gouache on Pergamenata, gold leaf.  
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