La teoría medieval de la música y la miniatura de las Cantigas

Abstract

This paper points out the need of approaching the medieval theory of music in the study of the miniature in th Codices of the Canticles of Saint Mary by Alphonse X the Wise : both, the so called «Musicians Codex» and «the Codex of the Stories» are highly influenced by this concept of Music and its categories and musicians. The formal characteristics of the miniature and the different role of image in both masterpieces show the use of a method of work based on strictly musical concepts. Therefore,not only the music but the three Arts –poetry, music and painting– are equally structured by Music. From this point of view, we add a new approach to the iconography of the two miniatures of presentation that open both codices: besides being two very expressive examples of author iconographies, they can also be considered as very clear images of the king as a «musician of the sphere», coordinating the work done by the «musicians of the instruments».