Journal Entry #12 - Animals in Medieval Art

Animals, sometimes real and mythical, hold a high standard of importance in medieval art. Animals carried a vast variety of associations that were drawn from the past. Ex - The lamb as a symbol of christ, the griffin as an attendant of Apollo and keeper of light, and the dove as a description of the Holy Spirit.

Plague with Agnus Dei and Four Evangelists

9th Century

Ivory Carving

Incipit Page to the Gospel of John

1300-1310

Vellum, pigments, and gold.

-four symbols of evangelists

*ox for luke

*eagle for john

*angel for matthew

*lion for mark