Assignment for SCA, Kingdom of Aethelmearc, Order of White Scarf, for Jan Pac. Chosen inspiration works by Stanisław Samostrzelnik, credited for illuminations of Book of hours of Queen Bona Sforza, Queen of Poland, C 1527-28, dimensions 131mm X 93mm.
Goals for project:
Match size and style of inspirational pieces.
Attempt portraiture of border angels
Gold leaf
Portrait of recipient
Project materials calf vellum cut in exemplar size, natural period pigments and gum arabic binder, shell gold and gold leaf with iron gall ink and quill pen. Micro calligraphy done with brush.
Inspiration works by Stanislaw Samostrezelnik, polish illuminator as recipient has persona of later period Polish. Working with primary inspiration using yellows and earth tones for border flowers and swapping out deep purple for deep blue of primary page. From original, changing the border of shield into a white scarf enveloping space. Mixing purple with blue and red was challenge and added mental pressure due to limited quantity of tone. Of note, this mental challenge is personal, many scribes may not feel such things. Pressure of anticipation of failure, Patron calls feeling. Good practice to get over. Shading for background required more mixing, creating different tone for blending.
Choice made for translation to Latin for appearance, desire for giving finished piece good approximation of original inspiration. Gold Ink work around border of purple page and in primary space, leaving Iron gall ink work for remaining page. With most flexible space for letters positioned near middle of text, making space all work out required several test runs of space using measured area on practice sheet, working backwards from end of primary calligraphy space.
Point of pride being gold leaf. Many years working with combinations of gesso and binder, having very intermittent success. Keeping desk area in certain temperature throughout work, and letting base cure, applying touch extra binder allowed for repeatable results where soft tool burnishing works. Still not finding success with glass burnisher, that can come with later project.
Overall content with result. Some successes on goals, learning found on spatial positioning. Biggest struggle being period style face portraits. Many masters spent many years perfecting technique, scribe needs spend exponentially more time on technique to begin to approximate.
Text Reads:
Nos, Gareth et Juliana, Rex et Regina Æthelmearc, peritiam, diligentiam atque comitatem Jan Pac in Arte Gladii Rapierii agnoscentes, eum ampliori honore dignum iudicamus. Quapropter, de consilio Ordinis Nostri, eundem Ioannem Socium Ordinis Albae Fasciae nominamus, eique insigne eiusdem Ordinis gestandum committimus, in signum virtutis, comitatis atque servitii. Praeterea, merita eius recognoscentes, eidem Ioanni Arma concedimus, videlicet: In campo rubeo, tres clavi Passionis aurei. Pergat dignos adversarios quaerere, scientiam suam liberaliter communicare, atque Artem suam exemplo suo corroborare. Datum manibus Nostris die tricesimo primo mensis Octobris, Anno Societatis LXI, in hastiludio habito ad Campionem Reginae Nostrae Gladii Rapierii eligendum.
We, Gareth and Juliana, King and Queen of Æthelmearc, recognizing the skill, diligence, and courtesy of Jan Pac in the Arte of the Rapier, judge him worthy of greater honor. Therefore, by the counsel of Our Order, we name the same Jan a Companion of the Order of the White Scarf and entrust to him the wearing of the insignia of that Order, as a sign of prowess, courtesy, and service. Furthermore, recognizing his merits, we grant unto the same Jan Arms, namely: On a red field, three golden nails of the Passion. May he continue to seek worthy opponents, freely share his knowledge, and strengthen his Arte by his example. Given by Our hands on the thirty-first day of October, A.S. LXI, at the tournament held to choose Our Queen’s Rapier Champion.
