A Medieval Book of Beasts

The Second-Family Bestiary. Commentary, Art, Text and Translation.
Erscheinungsjahr 2025
ISBN: 978-1-83765-267-9
Verlag: Boydell & Brewer Ltd.

Buch, Englisch, 344 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 206 mm x 293 mm, Gewicht: 970 g

Text, translation, and critical study of one of the most important medieval bestiaries.

The bestiary - a book of animals, both real and mythical - is one of the most interesting and appealing medieval artefacts. The "Second-family" bestiary is the most important and frequently produced version (some 49 known manuscripts exist). Of English origin and predominantly English production, it boasts a spiritual text "modernized" to meet the needs of its time, and features exceptional illustrations. This study addresses the work's purpose and audience, challenging previous assumptions with direct evidence in the manuscripts themselves, linking their use to teachers at the elementary-school level, and exploring the art, the text, and the cultural context for the bestiary. It includes a critical edition and new English translation, and a catalogue raisonné of the manuscripts. Fully illustrated.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Clark, Willene B

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Kunst Kunstgeschichte Kunstgeschichte: Völkerwanderung und Mittelalter
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Literatur: Sammlungen, Anthologien
• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Klassische Literaturwissenschaft Mittel- & Neulateinische Literatur

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Bestiary history; cultural setting
The Text, an overview
The Text, details
The Illustrations, an overview
The Illustrations in significant manuscripts
The Manuscripts: origins, owners, codicology; general audience
Past Assumptions
New evidence and specific audience
Decline of the Latin bestiaries