A Day in the Life
WHERE DID he or she learn the trade? Was there also work to be had on stained glass, manuscripts, heraldic designs, murals, in the Royal Mint, or simply painting a sign for the local ale-house?Would someone as visually talented as the person who designed this seal be called on to create costumes, props or scenery for the miracle plays, which involved every guild in a medieval town?
What, for that matter, did they eat for breakfast on the day they turned out this piece of work? What was the gossip on that day? What song was going through the artist's mind?
Perhaps I'm being parochial? The medieval world was an international society. I believe the Earl had lands in France, so the mould could have been made abroad.
There may well have been more artistic talent than we realise. Most craft workers must have been practical designers too. The opportunities for buying designs or components off the shelf must have been very limited. Page 4 of 5
Richard Bell, |
How did the tumultuous political events of the day affect the individual? After work, how did someone from that background spend their time?
If this individual was in a workshop in England's biggest city while carving the mould, it would be a matter of only twenty or thirty minutes walk to get out into open fields.
From the assured execution, the person who cut this design had already had plenty of opportunity to draw and carve.(In the context of medieval England 'assured execution' is perhaps an unfortunate choice of phrase!)
