55-499: The Ashmole Bestiary , an English illuminated manuscript bestiary, is from the late 12th or early 13th century. Under 90 such manuscripts survive and they were studied and categorized into families by M.R. James in 1928. The Ashmole Bestiary is part of the Second-family of manuscript Latin bestiaries, wherein it is one of forty eight. The "Second-family" bestiary is the most popular and widely distributed type of these manuscripts. It
110-473: A Romanian translation from a Slavic original (edited by Moses Gaster with an Italian translation in Archivio glottologico italiano , X, 273-304). Modern study of Physiologus can be said to have begun with Francesco Sbordone's edition, 1936, which established three traditions in the surviving manuscripts of the text, a "primitive" tradition, a Byzantine one and a pseudo-Basil tradition. Ben Perry showed that
165-741: A facsimile in both French and German but not yet in English. There is a full digital facsimile available through the Bodleian library digital records. The Ashmole Bestiary ( Bodleian Library MS. Ashmole 1511) along with its sister manuscript the Aberdeen Bestiary , is a late 12th or early 13th century English illuminated manuscript Bestiary . Both are of the Second Family of Bestiary Manuscripts. The two manuscripts are often compared to each other due to their striking similarities in illustration and
220-586: A gilded , decorated manuscript featuring large miniatures and some of the finest pigment, parchment and gold leaf from its time. Some portions of the manuscript such as folio eight recto even feature tarnished silver leaf. The original patron was wealthy enough to afford such materials so that the artists and scribes could enjoy creative freedom while creating the manuscripts. The artists were professionally trained and experimented with new techniques - such as heavy washes mixed with light washes and dark thick lines and use of contrasting color. The aqua color that
275-517: A unicorn and a phoenix . Some of the more common or known animals may still have fantastical elements ascribed to them, like a snake having wings, a dog who can detect lies, or fledgling pelicans coming back to life. These fantastical elements serve to further to the goal of conveying morals and Christian teachings. The introductory pages include a colorful miniature of Adam Naming the Animals that takes up an entire page by itself. This lavish inclusion
330-651: A Middle English metrical Bestiary , an adaptation of the Latin Physiologus Theobaldi ; this has been edited by Wright and Halliwell in Reliquiæ antiquæ (I, 208-27), also by Morris in An Old English Miscellany (1-25). There is an Icelandic Physiologus preserved in two fragmentary redactions from around 1200. In the 12th and 13th centuries there appeared the Bestiaires of Philippe de Thaun ,
385-418: A case for a date at the end of the 3rd or in the 4th century. The Physiologus consists of descriptions of animals , birds, and fantastic creatures, sometimes stones and plants, provided with moral content. Each animal is described, and an anecdote follows, from which the moral and symbolic qualities of the animal are derived. Manuscripts are often, but not always, given illustrations, often lavish. The book
440-482: A depiction of a lion as in the Ashmole bestiary, but in this instance the pages were left blank although there are markings of margin lines. In comparison to the Ashmole bestiary, on 9 verso some leaves are missing which should have likely contained imagery of the antelope ( Antalops ), unicorn ( Unicornis ), lynx ( Lynx ), griffin ( Gryps ), part of elephant ( Elephans ). Near folio 21 verso two illuminations of
495-545: A manuscript Sbordone had missed, at the Morgan Library , was the oldest extant Greek version, a late 10th-century manuscript from Grottaferrata . Anna Dorofeeva has argued that the numerous early Latin Physiologus manuscripts can be seen as evidence for an 'encyclopedic drive' amongst early medieval monastic writing centres. Aberdeen Bestiary The Aberdeen Bestiary ( Aberdeen University Library, Univ Lib. MS 24)
550-680: A metrical Old French version, edited by Thomas Wright in Popular Treatises on Science Written during the Middle Ages (74-131), and by Walberg (Lund and Paris, 1900); that by Guillaume, clerk of Normandy , called Bestiare divin , and edited by Cahier in his Mélanges d'archéologie (II-IV), also edited by Hippeau (Caen, 1852), and by Reinsch (Leipzig, 1890); the Bestiare de Gervaise [ fr ] , edited by Paul Meyer in Romania (I, 420-42);
605-504: A predecessor of bestiaries (books of beasts). Medieval poetical literature is full of allusions that can be traced to the Physiologus tradition; the text also exerted great influence on the symbolism of medieval ecclesiastical art: symbols like those of the phoenix rising from its ashes and the pelican feeding her young with her own blood are still well-known. The story is told of the lion whose cubs are born dead and receive life when
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#1732851747198660-514: A prince, king or another high ranking church official or monastery. However, since the section related to monastery life that was commonly depicted within the Aviarium manuscript was missing the original patron remains uncertain but it appears less likely to be a church member. The Aberdeen Bestiary was kept in Church and monastic settings for a majority of its history. However at some point it entered into
715-535: A result the Ashmole Bestiary is not biologically consistent or scientifically accurate. These are artefacts of the Catholic Church and are meant to teach Christian principles and promote Christian values through the use allegory and symbolism in nature. Instead of being naturalist documentation, bestiaries are meant to tell the tale of Christ's work and teachings using the symbolism of various animals as part of
770-616: A rhymed version appears in Karajan, Deutsche Sprachdenkmale des XII. Jahrhunderts (pp. 73–106), both based on the Latin text known as Dicta Chrysostomi. Fragments of a 9th-century metrical Anglo-Saxon Physiologus are extant (ed. Thorpe in Codex Exoniensis pp. 335–67, Grein in Bibliothek der angelsächsischen Poesie I, 223-8). About the middle of the 13th century there appeared
825-521: Is a 12th-century English illuminated manuscript bestiary that was first listed in 1542 in the inventory of the Old Royal Library at the Palace of Westminster . Due to similarities, it is often considered to be the "sister" manuscript of the Ashmole Bestiary . The connection between the ancient Greek didactic text Physiologus and similar bestiary manuscripts is also often noted. Information about
880-491: Is from the biblical book of Genesis from the quote "The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild animals." Most, if not all medieval bestiaries contain the story of the Christian Creation Myth , and many extant examples of medieval bestiaries are incomplete, which is one reason why the Ashmole manuscript is so remarkable and well studied. The Ashmole Bestiary has been reproduced as
935-746: Is in the Aberdeen Bestiary is not present in the Ashmole Bestiary. The Aberdeen manuscript is loaded with filigree flora design and champie style gold leaf initials. Canterbury is considered to be the original location of manufacture as the location was well known for manufacturing high-end luxury books during the thirteen century. Its similarities with the Canterbury Paris Psalter tree style also further draws evidence of this relation. The craftsmanship of both Ashmole and Aberdeen bestiary suggest similar artists and scribes . Both
990-589: Is of English origin, with a spiritual text that catered to the prevailing culture of the church at the time. The stimulating illuminations are not just decorative, as many people were illiterate or semi-literate in England at the time. All true Latin Bestiaries take their origin from the Greek work Physiologus , though the word can colloquially be used with less specificity. Bestiaries are not intended to be zoological books, as
1045-475: Is still kept with the manuscript in the library. Physiologus The Physiologus ( Greek : Φυσιολόγος ) is a didactic Christian text written or compiled in Greek by an unknown author in Alexandria . Its composition has been traditionally dated to the 2nd century AD by readers who saw parallels with writings of Clement of Alexandria , who is asserted to have known the text, though Alan Scott has made
1100-613: The Bestiare in prose of Pierre le Picard , edited by Cahier in Mélanges (II-IV). An adaptation is found in the old Waldensian literature, and has been edited by Alfons Mayer in Romanische Forschungen (V, 392 sqq.). As to the Italian bestiaries, a Tuscan-Venetian Bestiarius has been edited (Goldstaub and Wendriner, Ein tosco-venezianischer Bestiarius , Halle, 1892). Extracts from
1155-452: The Genesis 1:1-25 which is represented with a large full page illumination Biblical Creation scene in the manuscript. Folio 5 recto shows Adam , a large figure surrounded by gold leaf and towering over others, with the theme of 'Adam naming the animals' - this starts the compilation of the bestiary portion within the manuscript. Folio 5 verso depicts quadrupeds , livestock , wild beasts, and
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#17328517471981210-646: The Middle Ages . The earliest translation into Latin was followed by various recensions, among them the Sayings of St. John Chrysostom on the natures of beasts , A metrical Latin Physiologus was written in the 11th century by a certain Theobaldus , and printed by Morris in An Old English Miscellany (1872), 201 sqq.; it also appears among the works of Hildebertus Cenomanensis in Pat.Lat. , CLXXI, 1217–24. To these should be added
1265-537: The Paris Psalters of Canterbury . The Aviary section is similar to the Aviariium which is a well-known 12th century monastic text. The deviation from traditional color usage can be seen in the tiger, satyr, and unicorn folios as well as many other folios. The satyr in the Aberdeen Bestiary when compared to the satyr section of the slightly older Worksop bestiary is almost identical. There are small color notes in
1320-727: The Physiologus in Provençal have been edited by Bartsch, Provenzalisches Lesebuch (162-66). The Physiologus survived in the literatures of Eastern Europe in books on animals written in Middle Greek , among the Slavs to whom it came from the Byzantine (translations of the so-called Byzantinian redaction were made in Middle Bulgarian in the 13th-14th century; they were edited in 2011 by Ana Stoykova in an electronic edition, see reference), and in
1375-401: The ox ( Bos ), camel ( Camelus ), dromedary ( Dromedarius ), ass ( Asinus ), onager ( Onager ) and part of horse ( Equus ) are also assumed to be missing. Also missing from folio 15 recto on are some leaves which should have contained crocodile ( Crocodilus ), manticore ( Mantichora ) and part of parandrus ( Parandrus ). These missing folios are assumed from comparisons between
1430-429: The Aberdeen Bestiary that are often seen in similar manuscripts dating between 1175 and 1250 which help indicate that it was made near the year 1200 or 1210. These notes are similar to many other side notes written on the sides of pages throughout the manuscript and were probably by the painter to remind himself of special circumstances, these note occur irregularly throughout the text. Folio page 1 to 3 recto depicts
1485-466: The Adam and Eve folio pages since there is not damage done to nearby pages. Other pages used for pouncing include folio 7 recto to 18 verso which is the beginning of the beasts portion of the manuscript and likely depicted a lions as well as other big cats such as leopards , panthers and their characteristic as well as other large wild and domesticated beasts. On folio 6 recto there was likely intended to be
1540-540: The Ashmole and Aberdeen bestiary were probably made within 10 years of each other due to their stylistic and material similarities and the fact that both are crafted with the finest materials of their time. Stylistically both manuscripts are very similar but the Aberdeen has figures that are both more voluminous and less energetic than those of the Ashmole Bestiary. The color usage has been suggested as potentially Biblical in meaning as color usage had different interpretations in
1595-427: The English royal collections library. The royal Westminster Library shelf stamp of Henry VIII of England is stamped on the side of the bestiary. How King Henry acquired the manuscript remains unknown although it was probably taken from a monastery. The manuscript appears to have been well-read by the family based on the amount of reading wear on the edges of the pages. Around the time King James of Scotland became
1650-607: The King of England the bestiary was passed along to Marischal College in Aberdeen, Scotland . The manuscript is in fragmented condition as many illuminations on folios were removed individually as miniatures likely not for monetary but possibly for personal reasons. The manuscript currently is in the Aberdeen Library in Scotland where it has remained since 1542. The Aberdeen bestiary is
1705-561: The Latin introduced the "Physiologus" into almost all the languages of Western Europe. An Old High German ( Alemannic ) translation was written in Hirsau in c. 1070 (ed. Müllenhoff and Scherer in Denkmäler deutscher Poesie und Prosa No. LXXXI); a later translation (12th century) has been edited by Friedrich Lauchert [ de ] in Geschichte des Physiologus (pp. 280–99); and
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1760-460: The allegory. The animal-related stories in the manuscript contain moral themes and convey ideas of Christian ethics. Like almost all bestiaries, the Ashmole Bestiary contains a creation story from the book of Genesis , about God creating man and animals before the detailed allegorical descriptions of the 130 animals written in Latin . Content from Hugh of Fouilloy 's sixty chapter De avibus which
1815-405: The authorities for natural history say", a term derived from Greek φύσις ( physis , "nature") and λόγος ( logos , “word”). In later centuries it was ascribed to various celebrated Fathers , especially Epiphanius , Basil of Caesarea , and St. Peter of Alexandria . The assertion that the method of the Physiologus presupposes the allegorical exegesis developed by Origen is not correct;
1870-449: The centuries, some additions were made. An example of this is on the first page, which reads "ex libris of Peter Manwood" and has a drawing of a building done in graphite. This addition indicating the owner at the time was made some 300 years after the manuscript's creation. Scholars believe that way the manuscript is written and the tone and ideas conveyed within it suggest that it was intended to be used in an instructional manner, to teach
1925-411: The close time in which they were both made. Though there is still some debate among medieval scholars about which one is older and therefore the original, the similarities are significant to the point that there is a scholarly consensus that both manuscripts share an origin. The famed medievalist scholar M. R. James considered the Aberdeen Bestiary to likely be a replica of Ashmole based on the quality of
1980-689: The concept of the herd . Folio 7 to 18 recto depicts large cats and other beasts such as wolves , foxes and dogs . Many pages from the start of the manuscript's bestiary section such as 11 verso featuring a hyena shows small pin holes which were likely used to map out and copy artwork to a new manuscript. Folio 20 verso to 28 recto depicts livestock such as sheep , horses , and goats . Small animals like cats and mice are depicted on folio 24 to 25. Pages 25 recto to 63 recto feature depictions of birds and folio 64 recto to 80 recto depicts reptiles , worms and fish . 77 recto to 91 verso depicts trees and plants and other elements of nature such as
2035-402: The different people who owned it throughout the centuries. There was an attempt at re-binding the manuscript sometime in the 17th century. Centuries later in 1987 the Ashmole Bestiary was restored and rebound, removing the previous re-binding. Using modern technology, plain alum-tawed calfskin, and correcting some of the damaging preservation attempts from the 17th century. The 17th century binding
2090-513: The early 13th century. The overall style of the human figures as well as color usage is very reminiscent of Roman mosaic art especially with the attention to detail in the drapery. Circles and ovals semi-realistically depict highlights throughout the manuscript. The way that animals are shaded in a Romanesque fashion with the use of bands to depict volume and form, which is similar to an earlier 12th-century Bury Bible made at Bury St.Edmunds . This Bestiary also shows stylistic similarities with
2145-405: The illuminations and artistic style of both artefacts. It is unclear to historians and researchers who the original patron; they may have been an aristocrat , a high-ranking member of the church, or a monastery. It has been suggested by experts that the inclusion of Hugh of Fouilloy De avibus suggests a monastic origin for the work. It is known through the study of the physical document and
2200-441: The inscriptions there-in that in the mid-1500s the Ashmole Bestiary belonged to William Wright, the vicar of Chipping Wycombe . After which the manuscript was in the possession of William Man, esq., of Canterbury, who gave it as a gift to Peter Manwood, who was an antiquary , in 1609. The next historically verifiable home of the manuscript was in the museum of John Tradescant, the elder, who then passed it on to his son John Tradescant
2255-528: The lessons of Christianity through the metaphors of the natural world. It does not delve into complex ideas and maintains a straightforward presentation throughout, likely to aid its ease of understanding. Rich colour miniatures of the animals of the compendium are a key part of the medieval bestiary, and what captivates many historians and preservationists. In keeping with this tradition The Ashmole Bestiary features “real” animals (such as dogs, beavers, and elephants), but also mythical and legendary creatures like
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2310-549: The literature of the bestiaries , in which the material of the Physiologus was used; the Tractatus de bestiis et alius rebus , often misattributed to Hugo of St. Victor , and the Speculum naturale of Vincent of Beauvais . The Physiologus had an impact on neighboring literatures: medieval translations into Latin , Armenian , Georgian , Slavic , Syriac , Coptic , and Ethiopic are known. Translations and adaptations from
2365-429: The manuscript from damage, that can be caused by even the most careful handling, access to the artefact is restricted. Manuscript preservation requires stringent rules. Researchers are asked to use replicas and published descriptions as much as is practicable. While the bestiary is in excellent condition considering it is centuries old, it does contain some flaws. Aside from the wear of time it has edits and corrections by
2420-537: The manuscript's origins and patrons are circumstantial, although the manuscript most likely originated from the 13th century and was owned by a wealthy ecclesiastical patron from northern or southern England . Currently, the Aberdeen Bestiary resides in the Aberdeen University Library in Scotland . The Aberdeen Bestiary and the Ashmole Bestiary are considered by Xenia Muratova, a professor of Art History, to be "the work of different artists belonging to
2475-404: The nature of man . The end folios of the manuscript from 93 recto to 100 recto depicts the nature of stones and rocks. Seventeen of the Aberdeen manuscript pages are pricked for transfer in a process called pouncing such as clearly seen in the hyena folio as well as folio 3 recto and 3 verso depicting Genesis 1:26-1:28, 31, 1:1-2. The pricking must have been done shortly after the creation of
2530-452: The old lion breathes upon them, and of the phoenix which burns itself to death and rises on the third day from the ashes; both are taken as types of Christ . The unicorn also which only permits itself to be captured in the lap of a pure virgin is a type of the Incarnation ; the pelican that sheds its own blood in order to sprinkle its dead young, so that they may live again, is a type of
2585-461: The recent edition: Gohar Muradyan, Physiologus. The Greek And Armenian Versions With a Study of Translation Technique, Leuven–Dudley MA: Peeters, 2005 [Hebrew University Armenian Studies 6]); into Syriac [edited by Tychsen, Physiologus Syrus (Rostock, 1795), a later Syriac and an Arabic version edited by Land in Anecdota Syriaca , IV (Leyden, 1875)]. An Old Slavic (Old Bulgarian) translation
2640-627: The salvation of mankind by the death of Christ on the Cross . This motif is known as the Pelican in her Piety. Some allegories set forth the deceptive enticements of the Devil and his defeat by Christ; others present qualities as examples to be imitated or avoided. The conventional title Physiologus was because the author introduces his stories from natural history with the phrase: "the physiologus says", that is, "the naturalist says", "the natural philosophers,
2695-421: The same artistic milieu." Due to their "striking similarities" they are often compared and described by scholars as being "sister manuscripts." The medievalist scholar M. R. James considered the Aberdeen Bestiary ''a replica of Ashmole 1511" a view echoed by many other art historians. The original patron of both the Aberdeen and Ashmole Bestiary was considered to be a high-ranking member of society such as
2750-435: The so-called Letter of Barnabas offers, before Origen, a sufficient model, not only for the general character of the Physiologus but also for many of its details. It can hardly be asserted that the later recensions, in which the Greek text has been preserved, present even in the best and oldest manuscripts a perfectly reliable transcription of the original, especially as this was an anonymous and popular treatise. About
2805-607: The year 400 the Physiologus was translated into Latin ; from Greek, the original language that it was written in. In the 5th century into Ethiopic [edited by Fritz Hommel with a German translation (Leipzig, 1877), revised German translation in Romanische Forschungen , V, 13-36]; into Armenian [edited by Pitra in Spicilegium Solesmense , III, 374–90; French translation by Cahier in Nouveaux Mélanges d'archéologie, d'histoire et de littérature (Paris, 1874)] (see also
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#17328517471982860-600: The younger. Later that century antiquarian, and namesake of the artifact, Elias Ashmole would come into possession of it. Ashmole's collection of antiques, curiosities and books was donated after his death, founding the Ashmolean Museum . In 1860 the manuscript was transferred to the Bodleian Library which is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and one of the largest in England. It has resided there ever since. To protect
2915-503: Was made in the 10th century [edited by Karneyev, Materialy i zametki po literaturnoj istorii Fiziologa , Sankt Peterburg, 1890]. Epiphanius used Physiologus in his Panarion and from his time numerous further quotations and references to the Physiologus in the Greek and the Latin Church fathers show that it was one of the most generally known works of Christian Late Antiquity . Various translations and revisions were current in
2970-460: Was translated into Armenian in 5th century, into Latin by the early 6th century or possibly even by the mid-4th century and into Ethiopic and Syriac , then into many European and Middle-Eastern languages, and many illuminated manuscript copies such as the Bern Physiologus survive. It retained its influence over ideas of the "meaning" of animals in Europe for over a thousand years. It was
3025-445: Was written between 1132 and 1152 is incorporated into the text with 29 full colour illustrations. The text is known by other names including like The Aviarium (The Aviary), De columba deargentata (The Silvered Dove), and De tribus columbis (The three Doves) but all refer to the same work. The first few pages were originally left blank when the manuscript was initially created. As it came under new ownership throughout
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