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The Mighty Sporck
Reviving the Middle Ages Through Art.
This blog and gallery showcase manuscript illumination, medieval arts and historical study.
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Research & Projects
The False Mandrake
Saint Catherine Tended by Angels - The Belles Heures of the Duke of Berry. Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Limbourg brothersFrench, Paris, 1405–8/9Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum9 3/8 x 6 11/16 in. (23.8 x 17 cm)The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters Collection, 1954 (54.1.1, fol. 17v) A book of hours commissioned by the French prince John, Duke of Berry (French: Jean, duc de Berry), around 1409 was painted by the Limbourg brothers in France, three Dutch
Missy Rough
Aug 142 min read
Borso d'Este Bible and a scroll tribute
One of the most remarkable illuminated bibles of the Renaissance is the Borso d'Este Bible. This masterpiece was exceptionally time-consuming to create and the very wealthy and influential could afford such a luxury. It was created between 1455 and 1461. It took six years to produce and a team of artisans was led by Taddeo Crivelli and Franco dei Russi. Taddeo Crivelli was one of the best illuminators from the Ferrara school in Italy. France dei Russi was another brilliant It
Missy Rough
Aug 142 min read
Chintzy
Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? The Mughal emperors of South Asia certainly thought so, and they took that floral obsession global. Far from just a hobby, their absolute infatuation with botanical art blossomed far beyond their empire's borders—permanently rewriting the rules of international politics and high fashion. Scroll and calligraphy by Hug von Sporck 2025 How Emperor Jahangir’s love for flowers changed the world.- Emperor Jahangir, who ruled from 1605
Missy Rough
Jul 313 min read
Egg Horse and the Holy Grail
L'Estoire de Merlin, France ca. 1316 (BL, Add 10292, fol. 213r) Housed in the British Library is a quite astonishing illuminated manuscript detailing an account of the story of Merlin. Yes, that Merlin. This illuminated manuscript was written ~1316 in France and is called L'Estorie de Merlin: The Story of Merlin. There are 233 illustrations contained therein. The above illustration shows a person with dwarfism, Enadain, unhorsing the knight, Tradelinant. The artwork above is
Missy Rough
Jul 284 min read
Eat medieval for a day (6 servings)
In our modern world, the food that we eat tends to be highly processed. I am trying to get away from this reality while spending as little as possible. Because of this, I started to wonder if I could eat like a medieval person for a couple of weeks. I did not stick to a single area of the world for the medieval dishes, but rather searched for recipes that I could afford to make, utilized ingredients that are in season and had recipes available. The recipes I am making have se
Missy Rough
Jul 2511 min read
Rembrantish
I made "Muffin" hats! At least, that is what I knew them as. Hats are modeled by their new owners; Kara of Tir Ysgithr, and Percival of the Tea House. After making the hats, someone asked me what style of hat they actually were. I confidently thought, 'Rembrandtish'... and then immediately realized I had no idea what that actually meant. I discovered the history of this hat style was not as clear as I had imagined. Feast your eyes upon what I consider "Rembrandtish" below. Mo
Missy Rough
Jul 235 min read
The Art of Taste (and Breaking the Rules)
The Lion of Atenveldt, which is given only once per reign. Lion of Atenveldt scroll, Illumination and calligraphy by Hug von Sporck, May 2025. Gouache on pergamenata. If you would like to try your hand at painting this, I have created the linework, below. Look directly below for the OG tapestry. The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, Taste, Cl. 10831 © GrandPalaisRmn / Michel Urtado This image I created draws inspiration from the famous The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, mast
Missy Rough
Jul 212 min read
Smelly Unicorns
What I made: I illuminated a scroll for a Kingdom-level award, the Golden Quill. What it recognizes: It is awarded to people who create beautiful calligraphy and illumination on scrolls for the love of it, and use this skill to serve the kingdom and its people. Gouache on Pergamenata, scroll illuminated by Hug von Sporck in October 2023. This illumination features traced linework. The design is courtesy of Jadwiga Radomyskowa of An Tir. Medieval Source: "Smell" The Lady and
Missy Rough
Jul 193 min read
Fattening Pigs - 1310-1320
Gouache on Pergamenata with gold ink, Illuminated by Hug von Sporck October, 2023 What was this scroll illuminated for? Kingdom: Atenveldt Barony: Tir Ysgithr Baronial Award: Order of the Boar Vert - This award honors members who demonstrate excellence in the teaching and practice of the Arts and Sciences. Original Artwork: Where did it come from? Queen Mary Psalter (England, c. 1310–1320): London, British Library, Royal 2 B VII, f. 81v. Source: British Library. Psalter Th
Missy Rough
Jul 193 min read
Clothing: Embroidered Viking-Style Pelican Appliqué for Peerage Regalia
Embroidery by Armiger Hug von Sporck - Wool fabric, cotton, silk and metallic embroidery floss. Project Overview & Institutional Context This project consists of a hand-embroidered Pelican Appliqué executed for an official Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) Peerage regalia cloak. The underlying wool cloak was constructed previously by another artisan. My exclusive contribution to this regalia piece is the design, execution, and attachment of the heraldic emblem. Because
Missy Rough
Jul 174 min read
Danse Macabre
Project: Medieval Style Illumination: Baronial Scroll This project consists of an illuminated scroll executed in the late medieval Danse Macabre style. Illumination by Hug von Sporck. The scroll: Was commissioned as an official award scroll for the Barony, serving to induct a member of the populace into the Order of the Boar Counter-Ermine in recognition of their dedication to historical accuracy. Design and materials: Balances 14th- to 16th-century artistic philosophy with
Missy Rough
Jul 174 min read
Timeless Construction of the Tunic
Wool tunic patterned, sewn and embroidered by Armiger Hug von Sporck of Atenveldt The Objective: Construct a highly functional, period-appropriate tunic. The design incorporates underarm gussets to maximize upper-body mobility and side gores to provide lower-body flare while optimizing fabric usage. The primary challenge of this project was balancing historical plausibility with modern accessibility. I intentionally selected modern materials that accurately mimic the visual
Missy Rough
Jul 166 min read
The Artisan & Reenactor
Hug von Sporck is a highly regarded artisan, reenactor and member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), specifically recognized for their expertise in scribal arts, manuscript illumination, sewing, embroidery and a variety of medieval arts.
Active within the Kingdom of Atenveldt, they have served in official roles such as the Arts and Sciences Minister, Deputy Senechal and Herald for the College of St. Felix and are frequently praised within the community for helping others learn and develop their historical art skills.
Sharing Medieval Arts and History
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