Product Description

Bestiaries are a particularly characteristic product of medieval England, and give a unique insight into the medieval mind. Richly illuminated and lavishly produced, they were luxury objects for noble families. Their three-fold purpose was to provide a natural history of birds, beasts and fishes, to draw moral examples from animal behaviour (the industrious bee, the stubborn ass), and to reveal a mystical meaning - the phoenix, for instance, as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. This Bestiary, MS Bodley 764, was produced around the middle of the thirteenth century and is of singular beauty and interest. The lively illustrations have the freedom and naturalistic quality of the later Gothic style, and make dazzling use of colour. This book reproduces the 136 illuminations to the same size and in the same place as the original manuscript, fitting the text around them. Richard Barber's translation from the original Latin is a delight to read, capturing both the serious intent of the manuscript and its charm. RICHARD BARBER has written many books on the history of and life in the middle ages, from his Somerset Maugham Award-winning The Knight and Chivalry, by way of biographies of Henry II and the Black Prince, to an anthology of Arthurian literature from England, France and Germany, Arthurian Legends, and an account of the historical Arthur, King Arthur: Hero and Legend.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #213791 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 206 pages

Review
The translation is pellucid, and the colourful late-gothic illustrations really delightful. Epic begets epic: stupendous and thought-provoking. FORTEAN TIMESAn invaluable resource for readers and writers who aspire to understand how mediaeval men and women viewed the natural world, both actual and fantastical. HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEWExcellent translation from the Latin original makes for fascinating reading about beasts, real and imaginary, of the medieval world. The most delightful picture-book about animals you'll ever see. EVENING STANDARDHugely enjoyable, this English version of a 13th-century manuscript in the Bodleian Library offers every kind of beast... The illustrations are gorgeous and well reproduced. INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Customer Reviews

A Fabulous Ark
...in which unicorns and lions rub shoulders and haunches with cattle, hounds and mice. This book allows us to imagine beasts, fowl and fishes as our medieval forefathers did, in what to present-day eyes is a confused blend of 'facts', speculation and moralizing. The emphasis is all on knowledge gained from the library, rather than from the field... and how it can be applied in pursuit of a good & pious life. We feel the force of a pervasive belief that the Beasts were Created by God for the benefit of Man, but we also see an awe and a delight in the beauty and variety of that Creation, most vividly in the beautifully reproduced miniatures which illustrate the text. I love this book, and recommend it wholeheartedly.