Libra 

Curator: Welcome. Here we have a page from what appears to be a medieval calendar, simply titled "Libra," and it seems to be executed in ink and watercolor on paper. The text itself looks as if it was added with a coloured pencil. Editor: Hmm, my first thought is how incredibly delicate and vibrant this piece feels. There's an almost gem-like quality to those colours, particularly in the arches and columns. It’s like a tiny illuminated city. Curator: Absolutely. This is very characteristic of Byzantine art which, in this case, also belongs to the Medieval period. These calendars were essential for monastic communities. This page likely denotes September and includes feast days of the church, such as the Feast of St. Giles. Calendars such as this served not just a temporal but also a spiritual function. Editor: The way they've integrated the astrological symbol of Libra above the columns is neat too – simple, elegant. Does this suggest something about the community's perception of time and cosmos at the time? Curator: Precisely! The integration of astrological symbols alongside saints' days underscores a medieval worldview, that interwoven blend of classical knowledge, Christian belief, and daily practicality. We see that the careful rendering, from the precise script to the gilded details, spoke to the value placed on knowledge. It also reflects the resources necessary to produce such manuscripts, further highlighting its importance to those communities. Editor: And yet, amidst all this spiritual and scholarly weight, there's also a delightful human element to it. It is interesting how text and figure are intertwined and almost abstracted with colours: red, blue, brown. And these bright, fresh, clear washes of colours on what looks like parchment are something else. Curator: Indeed. In later periods these images tend to grow bigger on pages of calendars. By the 14th century, there's more realism on faces, in their attire. I wonder if future historians would be able to tell if the digital interfaces are as sacred and celebrated as we think. Editor: That makes me laugh. Perhaps we're building cathedrals on our phones, right now! Thanks, fascinating! Curator: My pleasure.