DO IT FOR THE VINE: Wine in the Middle Ages
1 September 2018   |    Folia

Back to work! We have finally reached September, which means our team is ready to dive into the beauty of illuminated manuscripts once again. We welcome the new month with this depiction of one of…

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Summer banquet
2 August 2018   |    Folia

Illumination from the manuscript "Livre de la chasse - Déduits de la chasse", ms. Français 616, c. 67r, 14th or 15th century, Département des manuscrits, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris. Folia Magazine is off to a summer vacation! Our…

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Minerva
25 July 2018   |    Women's Wednesday

Our journey to the discovery of the many Mulieres Clarae continues with a multi-faceted goddess, Minerva. Robinet Testard, as shown in the illumination above, chose to depict her warrior side by arming her with sword…

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Ceres
18 July 2018   |    Women's Wednesday

Today, just like every Wednesday, Folia Magazine welcomes a new Mulier Clara: the spotlight this week goes to Ceres, the goddess of agricultural fertility. In accordance to her patronage, the deity is often depicted holding…

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Juno
11 July 2018   |    Women's Wednesday

This week’s Women’s Wednesday features a new Mulier Clara: Juno, queen of the Greek gods and patron of marriage and childbirth. The illuminator Robinet Testard, as seen above, depicts the goddess with bare womb and…

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JAN HUS
6 July 2018   |    This day in History

July 6, 1415: Jan Hus, the Czech theologian now considered to be one of the main predecessors of the Reformation and Protestantism, is burned at the stake. The 15th-century Catholic Church was living a time of great struggle, following…

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Opis
4 July 2018   |    Women's Wednesday

Our third Women's Wednesday is dedicated to Opis, Saturn's wife, earth goddess and personification of abundance. The Latin word "ops", in fact, literally means "riches, plenty"; at the same time, "opis" signifies "work", especially in…

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The Day of the Seven Sleepers
28 June 2018   |    Folia

"Scheint am Siebenschläfer Sonne, gibt es sieben Wochen Wonne." German-speaking countries celebrated yesterday Siebenschläfertag, the "Day of the Seven Sleepers": according to lore, the weather on this day is said to predict the weather on the following seven weeks. But…

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Semiramis
27 June 2018   |    Women's Wednesday

Let’s continue our adventure through the pages of the De Mulieribus Claris: today's guest is Semiramis, the legendary queen of Assyria. The illumination above depicts Semiramis in the company of a white dog, perhaps to symbolize…

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Berries galore
24 June 2018   |    Folia

Illumination from the manuscript “Recüeil des principaux seigneurs qui passèrent la mer avec Guillaume Conquéreur d'Angleterre, et de plusieurs autres qui, après le décès dudict Guillaume, se retirèrent en Angleterre, et quelz honneurs et estatz…

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