LUNAR VOLVELLE

Natural and hand-foraged pigments, 23.5ct gold & 9.6ct white gold on recycled hemp paper
28cm x 40cm (11” x 15.7”)
2020

A volvelle is a type of paper chart with rotatable parts.

Inspired by similarly structured lunar volvelles popular in 15th century English manuscripts, this one is made up of two rotating discs which can be arranged to show the current moon phase, the length of the day, the noon altitude of the sun, and which sign of the zodiac the moon is in, as well as other astrological aspects of the sun and moon. 

The circular structure and rotating of the discs mirror the circularity of the heavens and orbits of the two luminaries.