The Zodiac Body: Celestial Influences in Medieval Art and Mysticism

In the luminous pages of The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry, one of the most magnificent Books of Hours ever created, lies a symbolic image that bridges the heavens and the human form: the Anatomical Man. This figure, delicately inked in the manuscript's calendar section, is surrounded by the twelve signs of the zodiac - each one associated with a specific region of the body.  From head to toe, the stars were believed to govern our anatomy, emotions and very essence. This celestial- body map wasn't just artistic fancy; it reflected a core medieval belief - microcosm and macrocosm.  Just as the universe...