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June Calendar Page with Junius Brutus (?) and Zodiacal Sign of Gemini

Unknownprobably 1170s

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

The calendar page for June opens with a figure that contemporary scholars are unable to identify with certainty. The bust-length figure may represent Junius Brutus, the Roman leader who assassinated dictator Julius Caesar; his inclusion here may have been stimulated by the similarity of his name to the name of the month. As with the references to Roman historical figures such as Numa Pompilius and to the Roman gods, this kind of allusion to classical culture provides evidence about the sophistication of the intellectual life at the abbey of Saint Michael at Hildesheim.

The calendar page also features the zodiacal sign of Gemini.

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  • Title: June Calendar Page with Junius Brutus (?) and Zodiacal Sign of Gemini
  • Creator: Unknown
  • Date Created: probably 1170s
  • Location Created: Hildesheim, Germany
  • Physical Dimensions: Leaf: 28.2 × 18.9 cm (11 1/8 × 7 7/16 in.)
  • Type: Folio
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Tempera colors, gold leaf, silver leaf, and ink on parchment
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 97.MG.21.6
  • Culture: German
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Ms. 64, fol. 6
  • Creator Display Name: Unknown
  • Classification: Manuscripts (Documents)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

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