This is an overview of the depiction and perception of animals in the Middle Ages, with an emphasis on bestiaries.

1. Animals in Medieval Art

2. Bestiaries

3. The Worksop Bestiary
England, c. 1185

4. Lions

5. Swordfish

6. Pelicans

7. Vipers

8. Sirens

9. Hedgehogs

10. Fox

11. Panther

12. Ostriches

13. Turtledoves

14. Dog Identifying His Master’s Murderer

15. Ibex

16. Hyena

17. Crocodile

18. Antelope

19. The Aberdeen Bestiary
England, c. 1200

20. Bear

21. Pelicans

22. Phoenix

23. Phoenix

24. Vipers

25. Serpent

26. Hedgehogs

27. Fox

28. Elephant and Dragon

29. Herons

30. Panther

31. Beaver

32. Ostriches

33. Turtledoves

34. Salamanders

35. Hoopoes

36. The Harley Bestiary
England, 1225-1250

37. Ibex

38. Bonnacon

39. The Bestiary of Love
Italy, c. 1290

40. Lion

41. Swordfish

42. Elephants

43. Whale

44. Hedgehog

45. Beaver

46. Ostrich

47. Mourning Turtledove

48. The Bestiary of Love
France, 13th-14th c.

49. Lion

50. Lion

51. Lion

52. Hoopoes

53. Weasels

54. The Bestiary of Anne Walshe
England, c. 1400-1425

55. Lions

56. Pelicans

57. Whale

58. Lynx

59. Dog

60. Cat

61. Crocodile

62. Bonnacon

63. The Ashmole Bestiary
England, c. 1511

64. Pelicans

65. Elephant and Dragon

66. Unicorn

67. Cats

68. Hyena

69. Griffin

70. Other Bestiaries

71. Lions, England, 12th c.

72. Crocodile and Hydrus, England, 12th c.

73. Crocodile and Hydrus, France, 1250s

74. Crocodile, France, 1250s

75. Caladrius, England, 1250s

76. Lions, Belgium, 1270

77. Ibex, England, 13th c.

78. Lions, France, 13th c.

79. Lions, England, 13th c.

80. Crocodile, France, 13th c.

81. Hoopoes, France, 13th c.

82. Crocodile, England, 13th c.

83. Lion, England, 13th c.

84. Hyena, England, 13th c.

85. Caladrius, England, 13th c.

86. Lions, England, 13th c.

87. Lynx, France, 13th c.

88. Lion, England, 13th-14th c.

89. Lions, France, 13th-14th c.

90. Lion, England, c. 1300

91. Ostrich, Italy, c. 1300

92. Ostrich, England, 1310s

93. Rabbits, Belgian, c. 1350

94. Lion, England, 14th c.

95. Lion, England, 14th c.

96. Partridges, France, 14th c.

97. Raven, France, 14th c.

98. Crocodile, France, c. 1450

99. Griffin, France, c. 1450

100. Ibex, France, c. 1450

101. Hyenas, France, c. 1450

102. Hoopoes, France, c. 1450

103. Other Illuminations

104. Sea Hare, France

105. Elephant and Dragon, 13th c.

106. Lions, England, 13th c.

107. Cats, England, 13th c.

108. Dog and Master, England, c. 1300

109. England, c. 1300

110. Hare, England, c. 1300

111. Rabbits, England, 1325-35

112. St. Jerome and the Lion
France, c. 1410-1416

113. Hedgehog, France, c. 1415-1430

114. Pelican, France, c. 1430

115. Griffin, France, 15th c.

116. Painting

117. Spain, 13th-c. Fresco

118. The Creation of the Animals
Master Bertram, 1415

120. Stonework

121. Italy, 9th c.

122. Bull and Lions
Italy, 11th c.

123. Lion Chasing Goat
Germany, 12th c.

124. Jonah and the Whale
France, 12th c.

125. Amiens Cathedral, c. 1270

126. Griffin Mosaic, Italy, c. 1300

127. Crocodile, England, 1330

128. Strasbourg Cathedral
France, 12th-15th c.

129. Spain, 14th c.

130. Griffin, England, 14th c.

131. Griffin, England, 15th c.

132. Hyena, England, 15th c.

133. Stained Glass

134. Life of St. Austremoine of Issoire
Auvergne, France

135. Metalwork

136. Aquamanile, Germany, c. 1200

137. Lion Trampling Vipers
Aquamanile, Germany, c. 1200

138. Aquamanile, Germany, 13th c.

139. Eucharistic Dove
Limoges, 13th c.

140. The Netherlands, 15th c.

141. Unicorns in Medieval Art

142. The Rochester Bestiary
England, c. 1230

143. France or Belgium, c. 1350

144. France, c. 1400

145. Annunciation as a Unicorn Hunt
Altar in Erfurt Cathedral, c. 1420

146. The Netherlands, c. 1440

147. Aquamanile, Germany, 15th c.

148. Austria, 15th c.

149. The Lady and the Unicorn
France, 15th-c. Tapestry

150. The Unicorn Tapestries
The Netherlands, 1495-1505

151. Start of the Hunt

152. The Unicorn Purifies the Water

153. The Unicorn Tries to Escape

154. The Unicorn Defends Itself

155. The Unicorn is Killed and
Brought to the Castle

156. The Unicorn in Captivity

157. The Earliest Drawings from Life

158. Nicholas de Honnecourt, c. 1250

159. Matthew Paris, 1258