Laypeople

A number of the faces in Plimpton MS 034 suggest the presence of laypeople in this manuscript.

The long, flowing beards on folios 8r, 9r, 22v and 20v are particularly obvious examples of men who did not follow the rules of Franciscan body care (see below). In the case of folio 9r, the man depicted in the initial has not only a beard but shoulder-length hair as well.

Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_8r_(2).png
Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_9r.png
Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_22v.png
Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_20v.png

However, some faces are less obviously bearded, raising interesting questions: Are the three vertical lines on the face on 13r meant to represent a similar, if less hairy, version of the beard depicted on 31v? Is the dark space under the face on 19r a beard? 

Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_31v.png
Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_13r.png
Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_19r.png

The faces on folios 8r and 7v raise further questions about the genders, ages, and religious affinities of the humans depicted: How are we to understand a face like that on 8r, which is hairless but gives no other indication of religious affinity? Is the face on 7v depicting a child?  

Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_8r.png
Detail_of_Plimpton_fol_7v.png