Culture

Day: September 18, 2011

  • The Bestiary, now preserved at the Saint Petersburg Public Library

    The Bestiary, now preserved at the Saint Petersburg Public Library named after Saltykow-Chshedrm (LatQ.v.V.I) The manuscript, now preserved at the Saint Petersburg Public Library named after Saltykow-Chshedrin and registered „Lat. Q.v.V.I.”, is one of the English bestiaries of the end of the twelfth century. It contains 91 sheets of stiff vellum (The foliotation of the…

  • Contents of the Manuscript

    Judging by its contents, the number of chapters and by their 59 order, the Saint Petersburg Bestiary belongs to the transitional type of treatises on animals between “Physiologus” and the bestiaries of the thirteenth century. The manuscripts of the transitional group (The following books make up the group of transitional manuscripts: 1) ms. 81, Morgan…

  • Creation of Heaven and Earth

  • Creation of Firmament

    Creation of Firmament 9.6X8 cm

  • Creation of the Firmament

    Creation of the Firmament Miniature. The Bodleian Library. Oxford, ms. Ashmole 1511, f.5 v.

  • Creation of birds and fishes

    Creation of birds and fishes 9.5X7.8 cm The miniatures illustrate the texts from Genesis on the third, fourth and fifth days of Creation. /1:9—13; 1:14—19; 1:20—23/.

  • Creation of Eve

    Creation of Eve 9.5X8.2 cm The miniature is accompanied by a text from Genesis on the creation of Man, his being placed in the Garden of Eden, on the denomination of animals and the creation of Eve /Genesis II/. With a very few exceptions (e.g. “pleni” instead of “perfecti”) the text of the manuscript coincides…

  • Adam gives the names to animals

    Adam gives the names to animals 9.3×13.5 cm The miniature is followed by the text about the denomination of animals and then by their classification derived from “Etimologiae” of Isidor de Seville /XII.I. 1 — 8; XII.VII. 1 — 9/. The text ends with a sermon “Quocienscumque peccator…”. In the scence of animals’ denomination the…

  • Lion

    Lion /leo/ 9.7X5.5 cm Initial »B« with the figure of the Creator 3.6X4 cm Put at the beginning of the treatise on animals, the only initial of the manuscript in which capital letters are generaley simple and in no way rivaling the colourful miniatures, is adorned with the figure of the Creator as if announcing…

  • The Lion Miniature

    The Lion Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. ms.Ashmole 1511, f. 10

  • The Lion Aquamani

    The Lion Aquamanil. Lower Saxony. XIII century. Hamburg Museum

  • The Lion

    The Lion Column base. Portal of the Church in Guilletre XII century

  • Antalop

    Antalop /antalops/ 9.4 х 6 cm The text on the antalop provides no clue for identifying it with the antelope we know. The text reproduces the narrative of “Physiologus” and is also given various intepretations in the writings by Pseudo-Hugh /II.2/, Pierre of Beau-vais /11.116/, Brunetto Latini /I.V.177/ and in the versed bestiaries of Philippe…

  • The Antalop

    The Antalop Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL (The Saint Petersburg Public Library). Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 48 v.

  • The Antalop

    The Antalop Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, ms. Ashmole 1511, f. 14

  • Onocentaur

    Onocentaur /onocentaurus/10X5.5 cm The onocentaur of the antique mythology was included in “Physiologus” due to the Greek translation of The Book of Isaiah, in which the prophet announced the destruction and fall of Babylon, on the ruins of which “wild beasts will lie down” /Isaiah 13:21 — 22/. Among them the Greek translation gives ovoxevTaupog…

  • The Onocentaur

    The Onocentaur Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill N 1, f. 39

  • The Onocentaur

    The Onocentaur Marble relief. Church Saint-Sernin. Toulouse. XIII century

  • Hedgehog

    Hedgehog /herinacius, ericius, echinus/ 9.3X3 cm According to Isaiah’s prophesy of the end of Babylon, the hedgehog is among the “unclean” animals /Isaiah 13:22, 34:1/. In “Physiologus” he is placed after the centaur. The text of the Saint Petersburg bestiary follows version “B” about the hedgehog “armed with spines” on which he sticks a bunch…

  • The Hedgehog

    The Hedgehog Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 53

  • The Fox

    The Fox /vulpes/ Traditionally the fox is a symbol of cunning and guile. The text of the bestiary combines the description by Isidor /XII.2.29/ with the tale of “Physiologus”. The origin of the word “fox” /vulpis/ from “volubilis pedibus” /walking in circles”/ is borrowed from Isidor. The implication is that a fox makes those circuitous…

  • The Fox

    The Fox. Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL. Lat. Q.V.III. N 1. f. 51

  • Unicorn

    Unicorn /unicornis, monoceros, rinoceros/ 9.8X6.6 cm “Unicorn is the best of all animals” says an old Russian song about the Dove’s Book. Indeed, the unicorn is most popular in the fantastic animal world; he has undergone all sorts of transformations during his legendary history. It is the most poetical image in the bestiary perceived by…

  • The Unicorn Miniature

    The Unicorn Miniature. Bestiary of the British Museum Harley ms, f. 6 v.

  • The Unicorn

    The Unicorn Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 38 v.

  • Beaver

    Beaver /castor, fiber/ 10×5.7 cm The story of the unfortunate beaver and his symbolic interpretation is in itself clear evidence of profound inner links between the naturalistic, the symbolic and the etymological elements in an animal as depicted in the bestiary. The story about the beaver is a combination of the text by Isidor with…

  • The Beaver Miniature

    The Beaver Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 52

  • The Beaver

    The Beaver Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 52

  • Hyena

    Hyena /hyaena, hyena/ 10.5X7 cm In the Middle Ages the hyena feeding on carrion was believed to be the most repulsive creature of all. The Old Testament refers hyena to unclean animals /Lev.II, Deuteronomy, 14/. The image of the hyena hovers above the ruins of Babylon /Isaiah, 13:22, 24/, though there is no mention of…

  • The Hyena

    The Hyena. Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.HI, N 1, f. 40

  • The Hyena

    The Hyena. Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, N 764, f. 15

  • Hydra

    Hydra /hydrus, hydra/ 10X6.8 cm The bestiaries of the twelfth century and the text by Pseudo-Hugh (II.7) follow the story by Isidor /XII.IV.22, 23/ who continued the story in “Physiologus” about the unceasing hostility between the hydra and the crocodile living in the Nile. When the hydra saw the crocodile sleeping on the bank with…

  • The Hydra

    The Hydra. Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 39 v.

  • Hydra

    Hydra /hydrus, hydra/ 10×4.6 cm The second chapter about the hydra reproduces the text about the hydra of Lerne by Isidor and repeats the story about the hydra’s fight with the crocodile. Such repetitions are not infrequent in medieval compilation since the latter derived material from several different sources. The inclusion of the second chapter…

  • The Hydra Capita

    The Hydra Capital. Church in Saint-Aignan. XII century.

  • The Hydra

    The Hydra Relief. XII century. Archaeological Museum. Nevers.

  • Sirens

    Sirens /sirenes/ 10.1×7 cm “The sweet singing… of perilous sirens”, the fairy charms of which the ingenious Odysseys was lucky to escape, are viewed by the medieval mind as the incarnation of a worldly boon which is ruining human soul. In the course of their long, ages-old existence the treacherous and alluring sirens of the…

  • The Sirens

    The Sirens. Miniature. Manuscript of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 74 v.

  • The Sirens

    The Sirens Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, ms. Ashmol 1511, f. 65 v.

  • Wild Goat

    Wild Goat /capra/ 10.2×6 cm Built according to the heraldic symmetry, the miniature illustrates the story of a wild goat who lives in the high mountains and sometimes comes down to the valley. She is known to be very sharp-sighted. The text of the bestiary originates from the description and interpretations of Greek “Physiologus”, in…

  • The Wild Goal

    The Wild Goal Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford, ms. Ashmole 1511, f. 20 v.

  • The Wild Goal

    The Wild Goal Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f.

  • Onager

    Onager /onager/ 10X6 см The text of the bestiary about the onager combines two narratives of Greek “Physiologus”, the one about the onager castrating his young offsprings “for them not to multiply”, and the other about the onager and the monkey registering time. “Physiologus” compares the onager castrating his young ones with the Apostles preaching…

  • The Onager

    The Onager Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 40 v.

  • Apes

    Apes /simia/ 10.2×6.2 cm In the Latin versions of “Physiologus” and in bestiaries the text about the ape follows the story of the onager. The story presented in the bestiary is in fact a combination of passages from Isidor with the symbolic interpretation of “Physiologus”, though it does not associate the features of the monkey…

  • The Ape

    The Ape Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 40 v.

  • The Ape

    The Ape Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 17 v.

  • Satyr and Callitrix

    Satyr and Callitrix / satyr us et callitrix/ medallion 6.6 cm in diameter The text is taken from Isidore /XII.II.33/. Satyr is a monkey with a face showing unending change of expression. Callitrix is a bearded monkey with a thick tail, the one which, possibly, is shown in the miniature of the Saint Petersburg bestiary.…

  • The Satyr and Callitrix

    The Satyr and Callitrix Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764,f. 17 v.

  • Panther

    Panther /panthera, pantera/ 10X6 cm Panther is the loveliest of all animals in the medieval bestiary. She is gentle and beautiful. “Physiologus” spares no colours describing its bright coat, which he compares to the many-coloured robes of Joseph and the queen in gold of Ophir /Psalms, 44:10/. In the bestiary the story taken from “Physiologus”…

  • The Panther

    The Panther Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 7 v.

  • Elephant

    Elephant /elephas/ 10×6.8 cm In the bestiary the story of the elephant begins with the story by Isidor, who derived the meaning of the name from the Greek /mountain/. Isidor spoke about the great size of the animal, its great intellegence and good memory, its usefulness in battle and also about the enmity between the…

  • The Elephant

    The Elephant Miniature. Bestiary of the Bodleian Library. Oxford. N 764, f. 12

  • The Elephant

    The Elephant Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 41

  • Wolf

    Wolf /lupus/ 10X5.5 cm The chapter about the wolf, missing in original “Physiologus”, is based on the information derived from Isidore /XII.II.23—24/, Pliny /VIII. 22.34/ and Solinus /2.36/ who described the wolf as a rapacious and greedy animal. The wolf has a big chest and strong jaws. He steals up to the sheepfold and catches…

  • The Wolf

    The Wolf Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V. Ill, N 1, f. 42

  • Dogs

    Dogs /canis/ 10.2 X 6 cm; 10.2×2.5 cm; 10..2 X 6.5 cm In original “Physiologus” the chapter on dogs was omitted. In the bestiary the antique tales about the dogs collected by Pliny and Solinus are being revised and newly interpreted. The text of the bestiary includes passages originating from Isidor /XII.II.25—27/ and from St.…

  • The Dogs

    The Dogs Miniature. Manuscript of the LPL.Lat.Q.V.III, N 1, f. 43 v.

  • Dogs

    Dogs /canis/ 10.2X6 cm; 10.2; 2.5 cm; 10.2X6.5 cm In the Middle Ages the dog was likened to a shepherd guarding his flock. In contrast to the tradition of the Old Testament and even to the text of the Gospel /Mark, VII:27/ the medieval man looked upon the dog as a symbol of fidelity, loyalty…

  • Stag

    Stag /cervus/ 10.2X6.1 cm То the text derived from Isidor /XII.1.18—19/ the bestiary adds the narrative from “Physiologus” about the stag which drove a snake away from its hole and thus came to be associated with Christ defeating the dragon. The idea that the stag and the snake are enemies comes from Oppian /Cinegetica, II/…