Manuscript Leaf with Adoration of the Holy Name, from a Book of Hours 1530

Curator: Looking at this illuminated manuscript leaf, titled "Adoration of the Holy Name" made circa 1530 by Simon Bening, one immediately notes the highly structured composition. Editor: It feels almost overwhelmingly celestial. So many layers—heaven, then the saints, then humanity. Curator: Indeed. Note the division of space— the artist uses layered horizontal zones to visually organize the figures, guiding the eye from the earthly realm toward the divine above. Bening has an acute sense of formal order here. Editor: The prominent 'IHS' within the sun-like aura is clearly central. The arrangement of angels surrounding this central motif—it’s reminiscent of earlier iconic depictions, perhaps suggesting the pervasive presence and accessibility of Christ's name in believers' lives. Curator: Yes, the 'IHS' Christogram anchors the composition, but I am also interested in how the cool blues surrounding the warm yellow in the halo intensify the viewer's attention. What seems interesting about the visual structure to you? Editor: For me, the symbols dominate—the orb radiates divine light but it almost imprisons the sacred letters within, in a way symbolizing divine mystery. There's a clear attempt at a visual representation of something sacred, that feels at once accessible, but very heavily encoded. Curator: An interesting perspective, yet perhaps overlooking the highly structured design elements at play, and the refined execution that gives this devotional piece its resonance. Editor: Perhaps we each are seeing a valid face of a complex icon. This single leaf feels like a small window onto an entire cosmology. Curator: I'd suggest its power is in how Bening so tightly interweaves symbol with meticulously planned and beautifully rendered structures and elements.