"Astrology in Medieval Manuscripts describes the complexity of western medieval astrology and its place in society, as revealed by a wealth of illustrated manuscripts and historical background."--BOOK JACKET.

Astrology permeated many aspects of medieval society and people's fear of the work of the astrologer was gradually transformed into revering him as an important and influential scholar. The ability to understand and predict celestial movements improved greatly in the medieval period and this study not only provides the historical background to astrology at this time, but it traces the principles and methods used as documented in manuscripts. Sophie Page goes on to assess the role of astrology in society as a whole, in agriculture, politics, medicine, weather forecasting, cosmology and alchemy, accompanied by many lovely illustrations.

Magic in Medieval Manuscripts explores the place of magic in the medieval world and the contradictory responses it evoked, through an exploration of images and texts in British Library manuscripts.

From antiquity to the Enlightenment, astrology, magic, and alchemy were considered important tools to unravel the mysteries of nature and human destiny. As a result of the West's exposure during the Middle Ages to the astrological beliefs of Arab philosophers and the mystical writings of late antiquity, these occult traditions became rich sources of inspiration for Western artists. In this latest volume in the popular Guide to Imagery series, the author presents a careful analysis of occult iconography in many of the great masterpieces of Western art, calling out key features in the illustrations for discussion and interpretation. Astrological symbols decorated medieval churches and illuminated manuscripts as well as fifteenth-century Italian town halls and palaces. The transformational zymology of magic and alchemy that enlivened the work of a wide range of Renaissance artists, including Bosch, Brueghel, D: urer, and Caravaggio, found renewed expression in the visionary works of nineteenth-century artists, such as Fuseli and Blake, as well as in the creative output of the twentieth century's Surrealists.

This is a guide to a ninth-century astronomical treatise, the Aratea, on loan from the University of Leiden and exhibited at the Museum. The book describes the manuscript, as a text. Subsequent chapters discuss ancient conceptions of the universe, the zodiacal signs, and the Planetarium miniatures. All miniatures from the manuscript are illustrated.

"Explores two principal genres of illicit learned magic in late Medieval manuscripts: image magic, which could be interpreted and justified in scholastic terms, and ritual magic, which could not"--Provided by publisher.

This book offers an internalist view on the history of astrology by studying the case of S. Belle, an astrologer who lived in late fifteenth-century France. It addresses his methods of work, his process of learning, and his practice.