Animals
Chapter 2
Throughout the ages, dating back to the 2nd century, documents called Bestiaries were collected and compiled. Bestiaries were an interesting mix of fact and fable, weaving new, scientific evidence with long-standing legend. Every animal, alive or imaged, found its way into the Bestiaries. One of the most popular Bestiaries was called the Physiologus. It was translated into many languages and was read throughout the known world.
Christianity, eager to show that creation proved the existence of God, began adding commentary to the Bestiaries, showing how these “facts” revealed parts of God’s nature. These living lessons would become illustrations in many sermons, making their imagery well known to the masses. Even some early church fathers like Augustine, Ambrose and Gregory the Great used illustrations from the Bestiaries.
Artisans, whose imaginations were ignited by the illustrations, would set to work translating these animals into art. Decorations based on the Bestiaries have been found as early as the 2nd century catacombs in Rome. From the catacombs, the animals would begin to appear in the mosaic art of the early churches. When the churches grew larger and more elaborate, the artists translated the illustrations into stonework and stained glass windows.
While the Bestiaries would eventually be condemned by |
