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You can use Paypal, Venmo, Patreon, even Crypto! Archive All posts by date. Advertise With Us. Great Recordings T. The use of inscriptions in such a situation where most of the viewers would be illiterate strongly indicates that the carvings were copied from a book and in fact their designs are similar to those in Oxf.
Laud Misc. Geoffrey Plantagenet provides a connection between the bestiary interests of both York and Lincoln. While he was Bishop of Lincoln he considerably developed the reputation of the cathedral school. He went on to become Archbishop of York MS 76A. Morgan , , a manuscript of regal splendour whose calendar indicates that it was made for an Augustinian house in the north of England, most likely in York. Its style is very close to that of the Ashmolean and Aberdeen Bestiary the curled up cat on Aberdeen f.
Geoffrey was exiled to France losing much of his property in so presumably his opportunities to commission books came before his departure. There are a number of other manuscripts illustrated in a style related to the Aberdeen and Ashmolean Bestiaries.
They all have connections with Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in the late twelfth century but only the Guthlac Roll can be tied to a specific monastery, Croyland Abbey. The Guthlac Roll B. Harley Roll Y. Morgan , 67 consists of pen drawings in roundels, illustrating the life of St Guthlac of Croyland, Lincolnshire. They look rather like patterns for stained glass windows and indeed the glass in the window of the North Rose at Lincoln Cathedral is in a similar style.
Morgan , 66 because they are so alike in appearance. The Copenhagen Psalter Copenhagen Bib. Thott 14 32 whose calendar indicates a northern Augustinian house shares a great deal of its delicacy, in particular the white highlights, with the Aberdeen Bestiary. These highlights can be seen on the ibex f. As the Aviarium was written specifically as a moral and theological guide for Augustinian canons, the strong emphasis on this particular text could suggest an origin in an Augustinian house, and an Augustinian destination for the books.
Clark , argues for a south English origin. The general appearance of the Aberdeen style is quite widespread across England at the end of the twelfth century. Similar figures are found in the Decretum from St. Bertin at St. Omer in north-east France St Omer Bibl. White filigree highlights are frequently found in southern manuscripts from Bury St. Edmunds and Canterbury Kauffmannn,, nos. Although Lincoln and York were distinguished centres of learning there is surprisingly little evidence for the production of luxury manuscripts there.
Although it can be shown that bestiaries were studied in the north, they were equally popular in the south. The two monastic libraries at Canterbury held altogether seven bestiaries in the middle ages: elsewhere, if they are mentioned at all, medieval libraries usually had only one or two.
Ultimately, most of this evidence is circumstantial. Within this group of bestiaries only St Petersburg can be located, as a gift from Lincoln to Worksop. Even this does not prove it was made in Lincoln. The specific source of the Aberdeen Bestiary remains unknown. The style of the Aberdeen Bestiary is highly accomplished and confident. Each picture is set in a frame with a background of burnished gold.
The colours are rich and bold, with a predominating impression of saturated blues and reds setting off the gold background. Although the paint makes the images dominating and substantial, their rhythmically graceful black outline harks back to the earlier drawn bestiaries like Cambridge U. Most scholars who have studied the Aberdeen Bestiary in detail have concluded that the art work up to f.
The firestones is admittedly an unsatisfactory and hesitant composition but this may be due to special circumstances see below. There are also some differences in the handling of drapery between the cedar f. Clark identifies Byzantine influence in the facial shading and darkened eye sockets, handled with particular delicacy on f.
These differences are subtle nuances probably within the range of a single artist subject to the constraints of fasting and uncomfortable working conditions.
Although their texts are not identical, the illustrations of the Aberdeen and Ashmole Bestiaries are closely related. James ,58 and Morgan ,64 believed both works were by the same man but made at different times. In general where the Aberdeen figures have a solid and even chunky Romanesque appearance, the Ashmole figures are elongated, elegant and more Gothic. This can be clearly seen for instance in the Christ in Majesty folios, Aberdeen f. The labels 'Romanesque' and 'Gothic' do not necessarily indicate that the Aberdeen manuscript is earlier: the manuscripts could be made by artists of different ages or trained in different styles.
Both books could have been copied at the same time from an unknown third version. The styles seem to reflect two different personalities: the Aberdeen figures are active and engaged where the Ashmole figures are dignified, reticent and sometimes even stiff.
The three comparisons discussed below, explore these two personalities. Muratova , believed Ashmole was by the master who gave clear instructions to his Aberdeen apprentice. In her view the Aberdeen compositions are 'overcharged', and the rich robes of the humans 'hide the helplessness of a pupil who does not understand the articulation of the human figure'.
In particular she considers the Aberdeen master had difficulty handling space in the Creation scenes a, This she contrasts with the clarity and grace of Ashmole. See Aberdeen, History. We do not know who illuminated the Aberdeen Bestiary, but experts believe that the miniatures of the Aberdeen Bestiary were painted by the same artist, or artists, as the miniatures that adorn the Ashmole Bestiary.
Ashmole is a late 12th or early 13th century English illuminated manuscript Bestiary containing a creation story and detailed allegorical descriptions of over animals. The anonymous artist probably lived near his patron, in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire. As for the Patron of MS 24, the Aberdeen Bestiary , he is believed to have been an ecclesiastic on the basis of F32r turtle doves , F34r cedars of Lebanon. MS 76A , which means he was wealthy. Luxurious illuminated manuscripts were usually commissioned by members of royal families.
When I discovered the Aberdeen Bestiary site, I felt I should perhaps refrain from writing a post on this famous bestiary. A few Aberdeen Bestiary illuminated folios are online. They can be investigated at leisure but images posted on the Bestiary cannot be used without violating copyright legislation.
Fortunately Wikipedia has a site containing a good selection of the Aberdeen Wiki Commons. Reynard is called Reinardus and his foe , the wolf, Ysengrimus. However, although the animals inhabiting medieval Beast Epics and Fables are anthropomorphic, i. However, in illuminated Bestiaries not only are animals fanciful, but they are often grotesquely obscene.
In fact, when I was a student, the various Reynard the Fox beast epics were not even mentioned in the curriculum. Nor were Bestiaries. Bestiaries were commissioned by the wealthy for the wealthy and were not intended for children.
In fact, bestiaries circulated in courtly milieux next to the Roman de la Rose , c. Let us pause here. I cannot copy images from the Aberdeen Library site as I would be in violation of copyright laws. But you may see the illuminated manuscripts by clicking on Bestiary. However, images are available at the above-mentioned Aberdeen Wiki Commons , Wikipedia. Aberdeen Bestiary. Image source, UoA. The Aberdeen Bestiary features tales of animals to illustrate what were essential moral beliefs.
The manuscript has been in the care of the University of Aberdeen since The images revealed 'clear evidence' the book was produced in a busy scriptorium.
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