The Medieval Bestiary linked the everyday activities of animals with aspects of Christian life, reflecting the belief that all of creation was made to instruct humankind.1 Bestiary illustrations also adorned other medieval manuscripts, in particular the fourteenth century Psalter. The Queen Mary Psalter (QMP) [British Library, Royal MS 2 B VII] of 1310 contains a complete bestiary cycle on every page of the psalms. In this essay I use the example of the QMP to, firstly, explain why bestiary images were highly effective in the psalter at conveying meaning and then to elucidate some specific theological, social and political messages that were promoted to the contemporary reader through the bestiary images. - [Author]

Language: English

DOI: 10.20935/AL2575